Shattered Ice Redux
by Dracoqueen22
Summary: NOW COMPLETE! AU. All it takes is a single moment and an entire saga is rewritten. CidVincent. Warning: Language, Yaoi, MM, Battle scenes, Lime.
1. Chapter 1

A/N:

This is a completely revamped version of Shattered Ice with new scenes, more smut, more smut, new descriptions, new everything to go along with the old. Every chapter of Shattered Ice that I post has gone under serious editing and detail fixing. I have integrated Forgotten Chronicles of Wutai to improve the reading experience.

I humbly ask for reviews and suggestions into how I can improve the Shattered Ice installment of the Arc simply because I am unsatisfied with it's current condition. Once I have completed uploaded Redux, I will take down the old version.

**Chapter One: It Begins**

Cloud stared at the tiny village before them and huffed quietly. After fighting so much in the Nibelheim Mountains and destroying the ridiculous Materia Keeper, they had found themselves in front of this tiny ramshackle town. And that wasn't even mentioning the fact that Cloud's wonderful sense of direction had them wandering about in said accursed mountains for over a week. Nibelheim had been hell on the emotions and their strength, and then, there was _this. _

The rusty rocket only made him feel that much worse.

"At least we can bulk back up on supplies," Tifa soothed slowly, choosing her words carefully. "That last battle nearly wiped us out." Her eyes captured his own mako-enhanced ones.

Cloud shook his head, pushing some of his spiky, blond hair out of his face as his hand tightened on his incredibly large sword. "Just expected more out of a place called Rocket Town." He heard the distinct sound of a derisive snort behind him and turned to face the culprit. "What, Vincent?" he demanded.

Behind him, a dark-haired man folded his arms over his chest, his red cloak fluttering in the slight breeze. His left arm sparkled in the clear sunlight, the gold all but glittering. He glared back at Cloud with piercing crimson eyes, a perfect contrast to his startlingly white skin.

"Nothing," he responded simply, his voice low but sensual. He leveled his gaze at his two companions, as if daring them to say more.

They had found the gunman not but a week or so before, tucked away in a coffin that doubled as a stasis chamber in the basement of ShinRa mansion, having just fought a particularly nasty monster to get to the key and materia inside a safe. What a surprise it had been for the group to discover a quite alive man in a coffin rather than the hordes of Gil and treasure they had been imagining. He had joined their group shortly afterwards, asking if he would be able to meet Hojo.

"Come on," Tifa encouraged, swinging her long and full brown hair at him, ignoring their sullen companion. "The others will catch up soon, and I for one want to make sure that there are enough rooms in the inn. Last time, I had to share a room with Aeris _and _Yuffie." She stuck out her tongue in disgust.

Cloud nodded in agreement and headed for the front gates of the town, the other two members of his team following behind him. "I still don't understand why ShinRa or Sephiroth would head this way. Isn't it a dead end?"

Tifa shrugged, while Vincent remained silent. "Does it really matter? Maybe someone here can tell us something," she finally stated.

It was Cloud's turn to snort at this as they entered the small town. It consisted of around five or six visible buildings, but there could have been more hidden by the trees and hills. Of course, let him not forget the leaning and rather rusty, old rocket with the words ShinRa No 26 painted along the sides.

"In this ramshackle old place? Highly unlikely," he mumbled with a sneer.

The three member team stood in the center of the village, observing the minor amounts of traffic passing by them. There were very few people present, a minute amount for even such a small town. Tifa immediately recognized the signs for an item shop and weapon one nearby, while Vincent pointed out the inn in his silent and reclusive way. However, it was Cloud who discovered the story behind the rocket.

Speaking to an older man standing in front of one of the more decrepit looking buildings, the blond learned about the failed mission attempt and received a sword in return for his troubles. It was powerful but not much on materia slots. Shrugging his shoulders in a care-free attitude, Cloud attached the Yoshiyuki to one of his spare sheaths.

'_Who knows_,' the blond thought, '_it might come in handy_.'

Turning to his companions, he ordered, "Tifa, you go to the item shop and replenish the supplies. Vincent, see what you can find out about ShinRa; there's something about this place that just irks me. I'll see about our rooms."

Vincent shook his head. "No, not today," he said softly. His voice was muffled behind the top of his cloak, but his meaning was obvious. He backed away from the group and turned, heading further into the village on his own, red cape billowing behind him.

Cloud growled and made as if to go after him, but Tifa grabbed his arm holding him back. "No, just let him go. We don't understand him just yet. Maybe he knows something about this place," she appeased the blond.

He sneered. "He joined our group, knowing who was leader. He should listen to me dammit!" he cursed, clenching his fist. He almost stomped his feet like a child but thought better of it. He was twenty-one years old for Kami's sake!

"There is more to him than we know, Cloud. He will come around in time." She shrugged then, releasing his arm. "And if not, he can just stay here, and we will be less one quiet, cold-hearted bastard."

Cloud tossed his head. "No, if it comes to that, I will drag him with us. He has power, perhaps too much power," he allowed briefly. "I want to keep an eye on him."

"That is most wise of you, Cloud," came the distinct and growling voice of the fire-cat, Nanaki. Both turned around to greet their friend, a big smile on Tifa's face. She instantly dropped to her knees to embrace him, wrapping her arms around his torso tightly. She smoothed her hands over his soft, orangish-red fur, delighting in the feel of it on her calloused hands.

"Nanaki, glad you made it safely. How did you get here so fast?" she asked with confusion. "And the others are here, too, I assume?" she questioned him.

Nanaki did his best not to stiffen, not really liking how she hung onto him. "Yes, Yuffie disappeared the moment we arrived. She was mumbling something about Earth and Time. Cait Sith immediately set up shop in the inn, hoping to pick up some free merchandise and a Gil or two. And--"

"We are right here, Cloud. No more need to worry," Aeris finished for him, Barret by her side. The petite woman, who was clad in pink, flashed a warm smile. Nanaki almost yelped when he felt Tifa's arms momentarily wrap tighter around his neck, her fingers twisting in his fur.

"Where's the vampire?" Barrett asked, looking around at the small group with a noticeable frown.

Aeris playfully punched his arm before frowning slightly. "Don't call him that. It hurts his feelings."

Barret snorted. "Yeah… right. That bastard ain't hardly said a word since we dug his ass outta that damn coffin! Fuckin ShinRa! Know they had something to do with it. They always do," the dark-skinned man all but spat out.

Cloud sighed. "I tried to tell him what to do, and he took off somewhere. He's probably still around though," he stated, mako eyes glancing around. "I am sure he will come to the inn when he is good and ready."

The gun-armed man narrowed his eyes at their leader. "Yer just going to let him wander around and do whatever the hell he pleases?"

The blond shrugged, though his eyes betrayed his true emotions. "There isn't much I can do to stop him. You're welcome to try, Barret."

"Tch." He snorted. "I don' care either way."

Tifa rolled her eyes before clapping Barret on the back. He stumbled under her greater strength, emitting an oomph and giving her a sour glare in return.

"Let's just relax a moment, ne?" she questioned with a grin. "Let Vincent do whatever the hell he wants."

"Yeah," their leader responded distractedly. He couldn't explain it, but there was something about Vincent that sent chills down his spine. "Alright, everyone," he replied after a moment, "let's restock and meet up at the inn."

There was a general nod of agreement, and they dispersed. Barret and Tifa went in one direction, the gun-armed man still seeming somewhat peeved, and Aeris and Nanaki trotted off in another, leaving Cloud on his own. He didn't mind it so much, however. It left him with more time to ponder about the enigma of the solemn ex-Turk.

With a final sigh and a narrowing of his eyes, the blond adjusted the sword on his back and strode towards the weapon shop.

Vincent moved silently through the town, keeping his body well hidden and trying his best to mask his emotions. He could not help but flinch at the looks that some of the townspeople gave him. Parents protecting their children from the menace of the tall, blood-clad gunman, he supposed, and these thoughts only served to cause him to draw further into himself, gaze casting out for someplace to be alone.

There was not much to the small, out-of-the-way village, which Vincent was grateful for. He supposed that had it been a bustling town, he would have gotten more in the way of frightened stares and probably a few attempts on his life.

The ex-Turk sighed then, his mind returning to when Cloud and the others had awakened him not so long ago. They should have left him sleeping in that coffin, in that living grave, for all eternity. He had much to atone for, and if living nightmare after nightmare in eternal torment was not enough, well…he did not know what else to do.

'_How many dreams were lost and stolen with the failure of this project?_' he wondered grimly as his boot clad feet carried him swiftly though unconsciously towards the rusting rocket that gleamed dingily in the midday sun.

Why had he chosen to remain with Cloud's group anyway? To slay Hojo and only that? Would he return to his slumber after that task was complete? Would Lucrecia's death be avenged?

No. Sleeping in a coffin was far too good a fate for him. He would have to find another way to atone, for his sin was too great… too much to ever be released.

He found the old, creaking stairs partially hidden behind a rather large tree, and he briefly wondered if the townsfolk were trying to hide their failure, or protect it, before he took a step onto the rusting metal stairs. They swayed for a moment under his weight, and he froze, waiting to see if they would collapse. But no, the old stairs simply groaned quietly and accepted their fate. Smiling sardonically, though none could see beneath the cloak, he began his ascent. Perhaps within the fallen dreams and ancient metal, maybe surrounded by someone else's failure, he could find just a moment's peace.

Or perhaps not.

Either way, he could be without Cloud's idiocy for a while.

He knew he would return to the group eventually, having no quicker way to find Hojo. Yet, sometimes, the foolishness behind the young blond's mako eyes irritated the gunman to no end, and Tifa's bubbly personality seemed so fake to Vincent. Barret cursed far too much for his liking. Yuffie was more than annoying, bordering on the edge of insanity, kleptomaniac. The ex-Turk had no qualms with the fire-wolf, Nanaki… Red XIII… whatever he chose his name to be, for he was quiet and did not bother him. Aeris… well, he had no arguments about her either. She was a different story entirely.

The stairs creaked even more as he climbed steadily but did not break. He kept his hands on the railing without really paying attention, flesh right hand on one side, golden sharp metal claw on the other.

It was his punishment… his fate… for meddling in the affairs of one mad scientist.

The cool metal of his left arm, scraped against the rotting material of the stairs. It knocked off random flakes of coppery dust as he climbed, his metallic fingers leaving tiny scratches in the surface. He winced at the sight, once more wondering whether or not he really had an arm under there, not that it really mattered either way. He didn't have the courage to look.

Vincent shook his head, trying to clear his mind of his thoughts, even as his long hair slid into his face, concealing his features as his headband had slipped out of place. He stood at the top of the stairs, outside the entrance to the rocket, and looked out over the town. It seemed so much smaller, so much more forlorn, from his vantage point. Yet, even as he looked, he redid the headband across his forehead, pulling back just enough of his hair so that he could see. He was so used to it being short, and even now, the gunman was not sure why he kept it long.

Placing a cautious hand on the Sniper CR at his side, his finger curled around the trigger, Vincent stepped through the doorway and into the gloom. His eyes adjusted quickly, being as light or dark made no difference to him.

'_My blessing and my curse… that damned mako_…' he thought to himself, his own mind lost in his thoughts.

"Goddamned ShinRa! Better not be jerking me around this time, or they will find a spear up their asses for sure. Can't stand that sneaky little bastard Rufus…"

Vincent's eyes widened when he realized that he was not alone. He unconsciously pulled out his gun, aiming for the figure bent down in front of him, who was messing around behind a small panel. Why he did so when there was no indication that the voice belonged to an enemy only testified to how lost in his thoughts he had truly been.

"Eh?" the stranger questioned gruffly, turning to glance over his shoulder. His sky blue eyes were startling, even as they peeked out from under unruly blond hair. A barely lit cigarette clung between his lips, bouncing up and down with his words. "What the hell are you doing in my fucking rocket?" the man demanded.

Vincent only stared at him, gun pointed at the man's head, unwavering in its solidness. He noticed that the stranger didn't seem to be perturbed in the slightest, although he caught the slightest hint of rounding to the other man's eyes. There was something in those blue irises, familiar yet completely alien.

"Hey, I'm fuckin' talkin' to you!" the older man cursed, rising to his feet and angrily turning around to face the ex-Turk. "This is my damn rocket, and you'd better get the hell out of here!"

Surprise registered on Vincent's features before he could contain it, and he fought to damper and return to his impassivity. "This is your rocket?" he asked slowly, lowering his gun but not holstering it. It was easy to return to his mask and keep the curiosity from his voice, hiding his emotions.

"Damn right it is! Second in pride only to the Highwind, but damn ShinRa took that from me too!" the man muttered, his eyes brightening for only a moment before they dimmed. He took a puff of his cigarette, inhaling the nicotine gratefully. One booted foot continued to tap on the grating beneath them, the other man still not seemingly perturbed in the slightest. He had some guts to stare down a Turk like that, even a former one.

Vincent appeared to think on this for a moment. Damn. He was going to have to find a better place to be alone now. Curse this man… whoever the hell he was.

"Put that damn weapon away, and let me tell you a story!" the man gruffly ordered, tapping his hand at his side, gesturing towards the weapon that he now carried. Vincent was not even sure he remembered the blond grabbing his long spear. He now tried to determine whether or not the stranger was a threat.

Vincent stared at the man, eyes flicking from the goggles on his head to the cigarette in his mouth to the blue flying jacket that he wore over his arms and back to the sky blue irises yet again. Determining that the man was not a danger, Vincent shrugged and holstered the gun. He decided he would listen to his story as he leaned against the side of the rocket's hallway, looking as nonchalant as possible. He lifted an eyebrow in question, though he wasn't sure if the blond could see it. He was vaguely interested in the story of the rocket as it seemed to relate much to his own life. He wondered if, in some way, he was to blame for this project's failure as well.

"Rocket Town's dreams were built upon this rocket. All the hopes and aspirations of everyone centered on this baby making it up into space…"

And so the man began to tell his story, interspersing it with cursing and blaming ShinRa. Vincent listened patiently, finding something that he at least was not to responsible for.

The stranger's hands gestured wildly, eyes twinkling with excitement and fondness as he related his story. Anger darkened his features once, and he was more than a bit resigned when he mentioned that to save his assistant's life he pulled the emergency stop lever. It was noble of him, or so Vincent thought, to give up his dreams to save someone else.

The ex-Turk was much the same, and look at what it had wrought him. In that, he and the blond were alike.

"However, all that is null and void because Rufus is supposed to be coming back today to reinstate the space program!" the man finished happily, taking another deep drag on his cigarette. The tip flared brightly in the dimness.

Those words caught the gunman's attention. His gaze shifted back to the other man, and he idly wondered why the man didn't seem perturbed by his appearance either.

"You said Rufus is coming _here_? Today?" Vincent questioned. Cloud would be very interested to find this out, not that the ex-Turk really cared.

"Hell yeah!" the other man exclaimed, sucking the last bit of nicotine out of his cigarette and putting it out against the wall. The butt was flicked into a corner where a small trashcan rested. "Finally, someone with aspirations… unlike his bastard father! Kinda glad some SOLDIER look-a-like killed him."

But at this point, the gunman was no longer even listening since the faster he aided Cloud in finding Sephiroth, the quicker he would be able to find Hojo. "Excuse me," Vincent managed politely, inclining his head, "I must be going now."

The other man stared at him for a moment. "Whatever." He shrugged, turning his back to Vincent and kneeling to once more work on the wiring, muttering to himself about ShinRa and rockets and space and mysterious gunmen dressed in red.

All that talking… and the most the blond could finish with was _whatever_!The ex-Turk was slightly amused and stood for another moment, watching the other man deftly work before deciding it was time he left. And to think, in all that bluster, he had never once learned the blond's identity, nor had the man asked for his. What a strangely sort of trusting fellow.

Vincent turned and hurriedly left, heading for the inn. ShinRa was coming to this pathetic excuse for a town, and the ex-Turk doubted that it was because of the rocket like the other man had thought. Yet another dashed dream courtesy of ShinRa politics. There had to be some other reason for Rufus to be coming here, and he would bet all his gil, which frankly wasn't much, that Sephiroth had something to do with it.

Sephiroth… now that was a name that sparked many things within the gunman, none of it good. He was absolutely certain that this Sephiroth was Lucrecia's child. The signs were all there, and that was yet another sin to add to his growing list. He should have protected her better; he should have dragged her out of that town no matter what she wanted. He should have shot that damn Hojo bastard when he had the chance.

Vincent shook his head gruffly, trying to clear his dire thoughts. Right now, it did him no good. They were better suited for tormenting himself when he was alone, not making himself look a fool in public.

'_You will always look a fool, no matter what you think you may do…_'

Chaos… he and the three others taunted him always, speaking to him, even as he tried to ignore them. Chaos wasn't strong enough to manifest yet, not like Galian, but soon enough, he would be… And Vincent wasn't sure if he could control him. It was just another atonement to add to his sins, the price he paid for his faults, this broken body of monsters.

Finally, he saw the inn, his thoughtful march taking him exactly where he needed to go. He did not hesitate as he entered the inn, nearly wincing at the horrified look the clerk behind the counter gave him. The young boy with his ridiculously colored orange hair and pimply face immediately jumped to his feet from where he had been propped up, reading some celebrity magazine.

"Which is Cloud Strife's room?" he asked with no introduction, only expecting a quick and efficient answer. He tried not to sound intimidating, but he realized that his attempt had sorely failed when the boy blanched.

The clerk stumbled back, looking all of fifteen. He probably should not even be working yet, his parents likely owning the inn. He stuttered as he answered, "I… I am sorry sir… but our records are private and…"

Vincent's red eyes narrowed, but then, Cloud's easily recognized voice came from the balcony above. "He's with us," the ex-SOLDIER said, leaning over the railing of the second floor and looking down at the two of them. He flashed the gunman one of, what he considered to be charming, smiles and gestured that he climb the stairs.

Shooting the desk clerk one scathing glance, Vincent turned on his heels and did just that, stopping when he reached Cloud.

"Well, you decided to return did you?" the blond commented, frowning, his earlier grin now gone.

"Look, Strife," Vincent began impatiently, "do you want to know about ShinRa or not?" He folded his arms and glared at the younger man, another contest of wills developing between the two.

It seemed ever since the gunman had joined their group, there was a thin line of tension between them, as if Cloud had not trusted him on sight. Whether or not that had anything to do with his surly attitude when they fire awoke him, he couldn't be sure. When the coffin opened, his initial thought had been that it was Hojo for another round of "let's torment Valentine in more even excruciating ways today."

However, after he had seen the two young faces and a strange cat creature peeking in on him, his second thought had been that ShinRa had certainly changed its standards on mad scientists. Then of all things, they had begun to question him, rather incessantly at that. He had still been disorientated from his sleep, enough so that he didn't even know what year it was, and the idiots had insisted on interrogating him, goading him, and continuously opening the coffin. They had tried to impart their optimism on him, Aeris informing him that he would have nightmares if he continued to sleep.

Humph.

She knew nothing of the nightmares he had suffered already. If that were all he had to endure, then his atonement truly was not enough. For his failure to protect her, nothing would suffice but his own misery. He had tried to warn the fools to leave before they were ensnared by ShinRa as well, but they had brushed him aside like the idiots they were.

That was until he had heard the story of Sephiroth. He had known then that Lucrecia's child had indeed been made a monster by Hojo, much like the scientist had done to Vincent himself. He had hoped that they would leave then once he revealed as much as he was willing about his sordid past. Twice more they had knocked on his coffin before he had finally heard their departing footsteps.

But that had been when the demons began to speak to him, and for once, Vincent had listened.

He could sleep in his guilt, wracked and tormented by the past that he couldn't fix… or he could right a few wrongs before returning to his slumber. For Lucrecia, he would even suffer the company of a merry band of morons. It was for her and her alone that he had decided to leave the coffin that had been his home for thirty years.

Cloud turned on his heels then, startling the ex-Turk's reverie, and made motions for Vincent to follow him. Sighing softly, the dark-haired man did as he was told, catching up to walk beside the leader of AVALANCHE.

"Well, what did you find out?" the blond demanded a bit crisply, irritation heavy in his voice.

"ShinRa is coming here… today, on the premise that they are reinstating the space program," he replied just as shortly.

Cloud snorted. "I believe that."

"The pilot of the rocket told me its story before informing me that he was supposed to meet Rufus at some point this afternoon, presumably at his home. I was under the impression that he lived in town."

The younger man appeared to muse quietly, one black gloved hand placed on his chin. "That explains the empty house then…"

Vincent did not respond, merely inclining his head.

They now stood in front of one of the few doors lining the hallway. The ex-Turk stepped forward as if to go in when he felt a hand grip his right arm. He turned swiftly, glaring at the spiky-headed boy.

Yes, just a boy. A child leading a group of adults against an enemy far greater than themselves… ShinRa.

Cloud flinched but did not release him. "If you are going to travel with us, I will not have you undermining me," the blond hissed dangerously.

Vincent jerked his arm free and raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Oh? And what would you do then?" he questioned.

The younger man relinquished his hold on Vincent's arm only to reach over his shoulder and tap on the hilt of his sword, his meaning obvious. "I do not fear you, Valentine."

The gunman narrowed his eyes. "That will be your mistake, Strife," he simply stated before turning the knob on the door and striding into the room. Cloud knew _nothing _of the beast he was truly, not even his lapses into limit break previous explaining the depths of what Hojo had done to him. He was a fool to not fear Vincent, and the dark-haired man knew this well.

Cloud watched his exit for a moment, a troubled look on his face. He shook his head and sighed. Vincent was not someone easily understood or to be taken lightly. He would have to tread carefully around that one.

With that in mind, the blond entered into the room after the gunman, knowing fully that plans would have to be made.

Thanks for reading. Please leave a review and let me know if it is an improvement.


	2. Awkward Flight

**Thanks to everyone! **

**Chapter Two: Awkward Flight**

Pushing his golden spikes out of his face yet again, Cloud turned towards his friends, easily relaying the information that Vincent had just told him. The aforementioned man had slunk to the back of the room, hiding in the shadows and watching the proceedings with disinterest. This wasn't at all unusual, and the ex-SOLDIER observed the gunman hiding his presence with a vague sense of apathy. Cloud was convinced there was much Vincent was hiding from them, but as it was, there was nothing he could do to pry the information out of the man. He only hoped that his secrets wouldn't spell their doom.

"It seems Rufus is coming to Rocket Town today," the swordsman informed everyone, his gaze idly traveling over to the window. "He has a meeting with the builder of the rocket at his home. Vincent suspects… and I agree," he admitted this somewhat reluctantly, "that Rufus is not here to reinstate the Space Program as the man believes. But his real purpose is unknown."

Nanaki frowned, as much as his lupine snout enabled him to do so. "We should find out the President's purpose then?" he questioned. "After all, why would Sephiroth come this far north?"

"I say we jes go up to his house and snoop around," muttered Barret, exchanging glances with Tifa. He poked at a screw on his gunarm as he spoke, itching for another battle with the President and determined to make the bastard pay for what he had done to Jessie and the others.

Cloud shrugged. "Works for me." He paused, forehead crinkling in thought. "But we can't travel in such a large group and break into someone's house. It will attract too much attention."

Tifa harrumphed, clearly not pleased with the plan. "Then you can go without me 'cause I am not about to go being sneaky," she said, crossing her arms over her ample bosom and tapping her foot against the floor. She hoped that in some way that it might change his mind and make him take a more direct approach. However, her opinion was ignored, and in choosing his party, Cloud simply overlooked her. It was something he had done many times now that Aeris was in their party.

"As much as I would like to, I am afraid these paws are not good for much other than stealth," Nanaki commented, releasing a large yawn before he curled up into a corner, not yet sleeping as he watched the others discuss their next move. These humans were fascinating creatures, and he had not once regretted his decision to join their cause. In many ways, it was noble, though perhaps their methods were not quite sound. Still, in the scheme of things, he supposed breaking and entering was not such a bad transgression, everything else considered.

Of course, the youngest of their group was the most excited to offer up an opinion.

"I'll go!" volunteered Yuffie cheerfully. The ninja gave them her cheekiest grin as she hoisted her shuriken up and tied it to her side.

The group had picked up the youthful girl in the forest outside of Junon. She had rather brazenly attacked them but had refused to accept defeat when the battle was over. In the end, she had tagged along, and Cloud hadn't yet bothered to send her away. There were times she was useful in battle, which so far managed to outweigh the times she stole their materia or yapped far too much. Then again, it might have been more than a pain to try and rid themselves of her presence. Yuffie seemed determined to stick around, and as it was, Cloud just accepted her presence… as did many of the others.

"I'm content to remain here," Cait Sith informed them, the toysaurus plopped down near the wall. Most of them ignored his presence, a little unnerved by a creature that was not real and yet still moved of its own accord, and that wasn't even mentioning Cait Sith's perky attitude and annoying tendency to cast their fortune at awkward times. As such, no one argued with its decision.

Barret snorted in response to Yuffie's proclamation. He and the little thief had not gotten along from day one, probably due to the fact that she enjoyed pilfering his materia the most.

"Of course, ya would, ya little thief. Always wantin' someone's materia…" he trailed off, not completing his sentence.

"You're right, Barret. Yuffie might try and steal from the man," Aeris interjected, her green eyes shining. She folded her arms, as if daring someone to disagree with her. "I will go instead of her, if only to protect the man's belongings."

Cloud nodded in agreement. "Then, it is decided. I will take Aeris… and Vincent, of course." There was a chorus of gasps, most thinly veiled, throughout the small inn. Very few could hide their shock. Besides, the gunman had not even offered up an opinion.

Vincent merely shrugged, his voice echoing from the corner. "If you insist." He understood why Cloud made that particular decision, but he was not about to explain it to them. Truthfully, he would have done the same had he been in charge.

"We should go," Cloud commented. "We don't want to miss Rufus after all," he added, a strange smirk on his face. He left orders with the others as his chosen team began to file out of the room. Tifa was acting oddly, he noticed faintly, as she moved to window and began to look out of it quietly. He reminded himself to talk to her later, when he had the time.

As the blond walked out the door after Vincent and Aeris, he wondered to himself how the task of leadership had fallen to him. He was barely holding it together, his sanity on a thin string as he chased after a man who should have already been dead. They were a motley assortment of companions, and he wasn't if sure if friends was a proper word to use quite yet. A ninja, a terrorist, a flower-girl, a bartender, a lion creature thing, a toy, a former Turk, and him… and they were all trying to save the world from an unknown menace.

Psh. As if the world even knew the danger it was in.

Cloud sneered inwardly, though his face betrayed nothing. They would be lucky if Sephiroth didn't slice them all down on the spot.

The three companions stood outside of a house, looking up at it expectantly, almost as if they thought Rufus and ShinRa were going to jump out at them the minute they opened the door. While Cloud and Aeris tried to look nonchalant, their bodies hiding him, Vincent worked on the door. Why they had delegated that task to him, he did not know. Perhaps they equated being a Turk with knowing all sorts of unsavory skills. Unfortunately for them, lock-picking was not one of his. He would probably end up breaking off the handle with his claw.

Vincent tried for the handle first, and surprisingly, he found it unlocked. He turned the knob, and the door opened soundlessly. Aeris and Cloud turned to look at him in surprise. He met there gazes with an even crimson stare.

"It was unlocked," he explained shortly, dark tresses falling in front of his face. His bandanna had slipped down again, and Vincent impatiently pushed it back up so that he could at least see.

Cloud pushed past him, going inside. Aeris made as if to follow him but, stopping for a moment, turned to face Vincent. She placed a delicate hand on his shoulder, and he flinched with the contact. That, uniquely enough, was the first time anyone had touched him since he left the coffin. Amazing how that simple touch could feel so… alien. Yet, she smiled at him, soft and reassuring.

"Don't worry… they just do not understand," she whispered softly before turning away and going into the house.

Vincent stared after her a moment. They did not understand? And did she think she did? This innocent young woman, barely touched by life, was trying to reassure him? As if he cared what their opinions were.

Yet, even as he followed them into the house, he couldn't help but notice that his now empty shoulder felt colder than before. There was something in her touch that warmed him… something in simply being touched by another human that was almost… vindicating. He hated the longing that erupted in him, filled simply with the desire for another human's touch that was not tainted by madness and hatred. He didn't deserve even the want for that comfort, and so Vincent shoved the thought away as he stepped into what they thought was an empty house.

However, they were sorely mistaken. Vincent found Aeris and Cloud having a small discussion with a brunette, who strangely looked a lot like Lucrecia. A pang raced through him at that thought. Pain so strong, he nearly doubled over like someone had punched him, reminding him of his close attempt to reach for a comfort that was being offered.

Almost violently, he reminded himself of his transgressions and sneered away all thoughts of happiness. Retribution was his only purpose now. That and to finally have his revenge against Hojo, for what had been done to him and for what Lucrecia had suffered first and foremost.

Vincent found a reasonably blank portion of wall and leaned against it, crossing his arms over his chest as he observed the behavior and conversation between the three normal people. Normal… he scoffed internally. With his body and his form, with what he had suffered, normality was a luxury no longer afforded to him.

They were discussing things of little importance, barely enough to get a true conversation started when the sound of a door slamming open and a rather large, uncouth voice filled the room. All talking in the room ceased as Vincent looked up and saw the stranger from earlier, who seemed even more agitated than before. The man's eyelids blinked worriedly over sky blue irises, eyes sliding over the gunman without recognition. The blond didn't even seem to remember him from earlier.

"Shera! Where's my goddamn tea!" The man cursed as he plopped down into a chair at the table, feet clonking onto the table in an unceremonious fashion. Unsurprisingly, a cigarette dangled from his lips, small tendrils of smoke curling up into the ceiling

"Here it is," the woman answered with surprising cheeriness. "And I made with honey just the way you like it." She set the steaming mug down in front of him, along with a glass ashtray. He took it with great gusto, inhaling the wonderful scent.

After deciding the tea was to his flavor, he fixed the brunette with an angry glare. "We have guests, Shera! Why don't they have any goddamned tea!" he demanded, shooting her an even more scathing glance.

Cloud held up his hands, trying to calm the abrasive pilot. "Don't mind us, really." He gave the older blond an unsteady grin that almost instantly wavered when that glare was turned onto him. Vincent had to hand it to the vulgar man; he certainly knew how to command those around him.

"Just sit down and drink yer damn tea!" the older man ordered as he sipped on his own. Yet, his agitation did not cease, something rather obvious by the way his feet wiggled on the table top.

Abruptly, Cloud and Aeris obeyed, choosing the nearest chair and plopping down, even as Shera brought them each a mug. They accepted it and held the hot cups between their fingers, though they did not drink. Neither of them were very partial to tea. The brunette quickly brought another cup for Vincent, but he waved her away, gathering the older man's attention upon himself.

"What? Ya don't like tea?" the pilot demanded, blue eyes glaring at Vincent intently. It seemed almost for a moment that he recognized the ex-Turk, a strange sort of expression taking over his face.

"Not particularly," Vincent answered smoothly, returning with his own death-to-all glare. They locked eyes for a moment, a battle of wills, though one opponent seemed unarmed. Blue eyes seemed to mesmerize him. He was not afraid of the blond man and his strange obsession with tea and cigarettes… or perhaps it was a mouth fetish. Hmm.

Finally, the pilot laughed long and hard, alternating between taking a drag of his ever present cigarette and gulping his tea. "Whatever," he commented before muttering about damn ShinRa and late Presidents under his breath. His eyes fell away from Vincent's, and the gunman obliged by turning his gaze away also.

"Um, Cid…" Cloud began after a moment of silence, having learned the pilot's name from Shera. "About--"

But he was interrupted when the other man's ears perked up, and he jumped to his feet, tea forgotten as it sloshed in the cup, nearly spilling on the table. There was a knock on the door, which was more like a pounding, seconds before a pudgy, balding man came in. He smiled disgustingly at the smell of the tea that greeted him.

"Finally, damn Palmer, could your boss be any later?" Cid accused, rushing past him and heading for the door. "And drink some damn tea!" he called back as he ran out the door. Cloud and Aeris could not help but stare after the foul-mouthed pilot in wonder.

"I like lots of lard in my tea; don't forget that. And honey, too! Oh and milk and sugar… and don't forget the lard!" Palmer said loudly and rather excitedly, his fat mass squeezing into the already crowded kitchen, and he stuck a finger into the boiling pot. He missed the scathing and disgusted glance that Shera shot him, even as she pushed a teacup to him with one of her fingers, using just the tip of it, as if she was afraid to catch some foul disease by being near him.

Vincent agreed with her sentiment. The slovenly pig man was repulsive.

The sound of excited slurping filled the room, and at the side of the clumps of lard floating in the tea, both Cloud and Aeris turned green. Vincent preferred not to look.

Eager to disrupt the slurping and perhaps gain a hold on her rolling stomach, the flower-girl spoke suddenly. "Why do you let him treat you like that?" Although her voice was quiet, it carried, interrupting Palmer's diatribe about the tastefulness of lard in tea.

"I owe him as much," the mousy looking Shera answered slowly, a starry look appearing in her brown eyes. She slowly gravitated towards the last chair, wrapping her fingers around her teacup as it steamed. "It is my fault he will never meet his dream…"

And from there, she told them the story of how Cid stopped the launch of the ShinRa No 26 so that she could live. Her tale was interspersed with Palmer's comments about more honey and sugar, unfortunately. But she still managed to get her point across, ending on how the rocket ended up in the leaning position it had today.

"It leans a little more each year. Soon, it will fall, crushing what few of us remain in this desolate abandoned town," she finished with a sigh, finally managing to take a sip of her own drink before Palmer ruthlessly demanded more, bits of honey and lard flecked on his lips. Aeris and Cloud shuddered in unison, their completely untouched tea lying on the table before them. Vincent, however, was glad that the glutton was too voracious to realize that AVALANCHE was sitting directly in front of him.

"We should see what Cid and Rufus are discussing," Cloud stated, rising from his chair and slinging his massive sword over his back. He didn't quite like the sad expression that had taken over Shera's face, not to mention that they had come to Cid's house for a purpose. Aeris nodded, and Vincent merely shrugged, both of them beginning to follow their leader out of the kitchen.

They made their way to the front door, slipping outside as silently as they could, but they stopped just outside, eavesdropping on the conversation happening a few feet away with ridiculous ease. Vincent wondered why it was that the soldiers with Rufus, or Rufus himself for that matter, didn't seem to notice them standing there. Or perhaps the President did and didn't seem to care. Either way, it was odd.

"Whaddya mean you are not here for the damned space program?" Cid asked incredulously. His hands waved wildly, face already beginning to flush with anger. He was clearly upset by the turn of events.

"I need the Tiny Bronco. Sephiroth has crossed the ocean, and that plane is the best transport," Rufus explained with a haughty shake of his head. He ran his fingers through his silky blond tresses, tapping the gun at his side impatiently. He fully expected to be obeyed. Cid was to either get with the program or get shot. One way or the other, the President of ShinRa was going to have his way.

The pilot spluttered, "Hell no! You ain't takin my baby! That's my damn plane! I made her! It doesn't belong to fucking ShinRa!" Cid all but yelled, shaking his head forcefully. He made as if to reach behind him, for the spear that was attached to his back.

"ShinRa made you, Mr. Highwind. I would suggest that you remember that before acting in such a… rash manner," Rufus responded coldly, eyes gleaming in the light of the sun. Two men stepped up beside him, lower class members of SOLDIER. They leveled their guns at Cid, warning him that they would shoot if necessary. Things were reaching a tense level then, and Cloud wondered if they would be forced to intervene… or if it was even their place.

However, before he could even make a decision, the door behind them opened with a quiet click. Cloud and the others nearly jumped in shock, whipping around only to find Shera gesturing them inside. Though confused, they followed her and stood in the foyer.

"Um, I think you should go out back," Shera whispered conspiratorially, her ears straining for the sounds of the two men arguing outside. "Palmer and the Turks are acting suspiciously. I think they are after the Captain's plane."

Cloud grinned, wrapping his gloved fingers over the hilt of his new sword, looking much similar to Sephiroth's Masamune. "Well, we will just see about that now won't we?" He smirked. If Rufus wanted the plane, then it would amuse them to get to it first. Cid would understand.

Hopefully.

Vincent, however, frowned a bit in confusion. "Why are you helping us?" he questioned, even as he unholstered his gun and made sure it was ready for battle. If it involved ShinRa, he was certain there was a fight to be had. He idly noticed when Aeris did the same with her staff.

A faint blush decorated Shera's cheeks as her brown eyes turned towards the door, an almost affectionate look crossing her features. "I think that the Captain would rather the Tiny Bronco be in your hands than theirs," she responded softly before gesturing past them towards a door on the far end of the hall. "Get to the back yard through there."

Cloud nodded in understanding. He unsheathed the Yoshiyuki and stepped beyond Shera, making for the back door of the house, Aeris on his heels. Vincent cast one more look towards Shera, but she had already turned towards the front door, preparing to peep out it once more. She was a strange woman.

Their leader burst through the back door, sword at the ready, scanning the area for enemies. His companions trailed behind him, flanking him to either side and watching his back. He saw Palmer, fat ass up in the air, near the cockpit of the small plane, trying to get it running. Rude and Reno stood on the ground calling up not-so-helpful hints to the idiot. Actually, it was more like the redhead gave suggestions, while Rude remained silent.

"Don't you know how to fly these things?" Palmer demanded from within the plane, his voice echoing with a high-pitched whine.

Reno snickered. "No, of course not, yo. You must be mistaken. I've never even sat in a plane before."

Beside him, the other Turk snorted. "Idiot," he mumbled under his breath, but they weren't quite sure which one he meant.

Reno shrugged and called up another idea. "Try to press the big red button, yo!" the red-haired Turk suggested.

Palmer hemmed and hawed. "There is no big red button."

Reno shrugged, tapping his Electro Rod against his shoulder. He exchanged an amused glance with his partner before trying again. "Jiggle the joystick, yo."

"I did that already! Three times!"

The Turks snickered. "Perhaps you're jiggling the wrong one!" The redhead laughed at his own perverted joke and made a crude gesture with one hand, elbowing his partner in an attempt to make Rude enjoy his genius as well. However, the bald man barely managed a curl of his lips as he threaded his hands in front of his body.

Shaking his head at the scene, Cloud ordered in his strongest leader voice, "We'll be taking that!"

His words didn't even seem to startle the two Turks, who merely glanced over their shoulders before turning around to face their enemy. The ex-SOLDIER planted his feet, his sword making an impressive glint in the sunlight.

"Oh, you," Reno commented dismissively, his bright hair shining in the sun, even as his Electro Rod crackled with energy. Rude, as usual, said nothing, merely pointing his fist at Cloud and his friends, while his sunglasses hid any of the emotion in his eyes.

"You don't seem happy to see me," the swordsman retorted, appearing to pout. He leveled his sword at them, pointing it menacingly. "Palmer, get out of the plane!"

The Turk tapped his Electro Rod on his shoulder as an angry look took over his features. "I'll stop you first," Reno growled, darting forward to attack Cloud, who quickly blocked his attack. There was a hiss as steel blade met electricity, the lightning-like effect dancing along the edge of the Yoshiyuki.

"That all you got?" the blond taunted, pushing the Turk back. Reno skidded backwards, boots digging furrows into the ground as Cloud quickly cast Bio2. It struck with a vengeance, instantly weakening his opponent.

"You don't play by the rules," Reno huffed, running a hand through his hair as he hunched over, the poison quickly spreading through his body. He felt heavy, as if all his vigor was draining through him and out the soles of his boots. He hated, absolutely _hated_ being forced to lose to these chumps. But orders were orders.

Luckily, Palmer seemed to note his predicament. He jumped out of the plane, waving unsteadily on his feet as he dug about in his pocket.

"Here stupid! Drink this!" the fat man called out, trying to toss Reno an antidote, but a singular gunshot stopped him. The Antidote shattered, clear liquid sprinkling the ground.

Another resounding shot barreled into Reno's right shoulder before he could make a move, blood splashing instantly. Hot fire raced through the redhead's body, and he clenched his teeth in anger and pain.

Angry mako eyes turned in one direction, giving Vincent a glare of death. "Tch, it's not over yet!" Reno claimed before running around the side of the house where Rufus and their back up was waiting.

"You run like a girl, Reno!" Cloud laughed, hauling up his sword to rest on his shoulder. In the background, Aeris scowled slightly at his comment, but she quickly sobered as she dodged a dark-skinned fist. The sound of shattering ice and the feel of a powerful spell quickly made Cloud forget about Reno as he turned to help finish off Rude.

The silent Turk had taken on the Ancient, thinking her an easier opponent. He was sorely mistaken when he found himself barraged by forceful swings of a rod that were accompanied by an onslaught of magic attacks. The staff slammed into the side of his belly, a move he couldn't avoid, and he distinctly felt several ribs crack.

He pointed his fist at her angrily, but she just shook her head in disgust. She hated such vulgar actions and moved to attack him again, but Cloud stepped into her line of vision.

"Hey, let me handle this," he said, body glowing with a strange reddish, orange light. She nodded and left him, going to help subdue Palmer, who Vincent appeared to be taunting. "Blade beam!" the blond yelled seconds before his limit break rolled through him, and he slammed his blade into the ground, sending a shockwave straight towards Rude.

Soil and grass were thrown in all directions as ripples of power racing across the land. Rude's face registered his shock and horror. He ran, but he was far too late. The attack struck him, knocking him off his feet and sending him battered to the ground. He visibly crashed with an audible thud that looked very painful. Beaten and bloody, he pushed himself off the ground and ran wildly after Reno, shaking his fist angrily at Cloud as he did so.

The ex-SOLDIER simply smirked, searching around for more enemies and finding none. "This was too easy."

Palmer had taken off as well, several pounds lighter thanks to Vincent's careful aim. Cloud found his fleeing figure seconds before a truck came out of nowhere and slammed into the lardass, sending him flying several feet into the air and into obscurity.

And for a moment, the companions thought they might be able to rest. The battle was won; Cid's plane was safe. Yet, that did not last long as the Tiny Bronco began to take off on its own, sans a pilot. Whatever Palmer had been touching before he wobbled away had apparently worked.

"Quickly! Into the plane!" Cloud ordered as he sheathed his sword and scrambled to get in. Ignoring their defeated enemies, the other two hurried forward as the propellers slowly began to pick up speed. The ex-Turk was forced to cling to one of the arms of the plane as only Aeris would fit behind the seat with Cloud.

With a mighty jerk, the tiny plane took off into the air, the swordsman trying to control it, and Vincent struggling to cling to the wing, red cape fluttering wildly in the wind. In an attempt to keep from sliding off, he pierced the thin, metal webbing of the wing and held on for dear life with his claw. He didn't mind flying but wasn't looking forward to the blond idiot's attempt to control the contraption with him dangling from a wing.

Cloud really wasn't an experienced pilot, nor did the huge gusts of wind assailing the small craft make things any easier. The Tiny Bronco went in violent circles up above Cid's house before it swept down low over the tiny town, right where Rufus and the other blond were arguing.

Cid's mouth dropped open in surprise when he saw the three on his plane. He screamed a few choice obscenities and took off after them, just managing to leap onto the undercarriage, even as Rufus and his soldiers opened fire. Cloud tried to maneuver out of range, but his steering skills sucked. One lone bullet made its way to the engine, promptly putting it out of order and causing them to careen wildly. Erratically streaming through the air, blades whirring frantically to keep them afloat, the Tiny Bronco managed to make just out of Rocket Town and over the ocean before it crashed. It effectively soaked all of its passengers and even throwing off a couple.

Meanwhile, back at Rocket Town, Rufus ran his hands through his hair and scowled. They had gotten away and took his transportation in the process. He whirled on his feet, subordinates following after him. He saved his ire for the Turks and Palmer, knowing they were to blame for unsuccessfully pilfering the Tiny Bronco.

And in the tiny inn, Tifa and the others leant worried eyes to the distant horizon where they had last seen their leader and companions clinging with abject terror to a rapidly falling plane.

- - -

Thanks for reading! Leave a review before you go and let me know how I'm doing! Thanks!!


	3. Sharing Tents

**Thanks for reading! **

**Chapter Three: Sharing Tents**

"Damn! She's toast! My girl will never fly again!" Cid muttered angrily, looking at the damage to the Tiny Bronco. It was floating on the surface of the ocean well enough, but from how torn up the wings were, it wouldn't fly anytime soon. It was painful for the pilot to see the state of the machine. She had flown good and true for him for so long and now was nothing more than a floatation device. It was truly a sad ending for such a noble girl.

"I'm sorry, Cid," Cloud said, scratching his head. "I never meant for it to happen this way." And he was sorry. Mostly.

"Tch! Damn ShinRa's fault anyway!" the pilot replied, flopping down on the tail of the plane. His clothes squished as he sat due to the thorough soaking he received when the plane had crashed, causing him to fly into the water. He reached for his cigarettes but found them to be soaked as well, and he angrily threw them into the water where they made a little splish. The damn things were completely useless now.

"I hope the others are alright," Aeris mused aloud. She had managed to remain in the plane when it crashed, so she was almost completely dry. She patted at her hair, trying to soothe down the frazzled strands that were sticking in all directions.

"Don't worry," Cloud assured her, "they won't get into too much trouble." He rubbed his head, trying to wring some of the water out of his hair. It had slicked down against his skull, making him look like a drowned chocobo. He had gotten wet when he dived into the ocean to save the floundering pilot as Cid apparently could not swim.

"So, who the hell are you guys anyways?" the Captain questioned as he searched through his pockets, hoping to find a spare dry cigarette; he could really use one about now.

"I'm Aeris, a flower-girl from Midgar," the Ancient answered cheerfully, flashing him one of her friendly smiles. "And this is Cloud, the leader of our group."

"What about him?" Cid inquired, pointing to the gunman. He had of course recognized the dark-haired man as the one he had talked to earlier but hadn't gotten an introduction from him.

He was mildly fascinated by the man, having never seen anyone with red eyes and a mechanical claw. The engineer part of him longed to take a closer look at the thing, perhaps even take it apart and see how it worked… not that he would do so when it was obviously part of a human being. But still, the initial desire was there, as well as desire of another nature. The dark-haired man was, plainly put, a beauty, and he had captivated the pilot's attention from the moment he had appeared behind Cid like a foreboding shadow in the rocket. Of course, at the time, he had been too excited about the reinstatement of the space program to do anything but gloat.

In the commotion of the crash, Cloud and Aeris had nearly forgotten about their quiet friend. He stood on the right wing, balancing easily, his back to them. He was staring off into the horizon, pretending he could not hear their conversation as water dripped from his cloak. It was a testament to the flight he had taken directly into the ocean when the tiny plane crashed… as did his slicked down hair.

"Oh, that's Vincent. Don't mind him. He is always like that," Cloud responded gruffly. He wasn't surprised when the ex-Turk didn't even attempt to introduce himself or make any sort of comment. The gunman simply kept his back to them, lost in his own little world.

"Hm," the other blond commented, scratching his head as he readjusted his goggles. His gaze strayed towards the silent man before he shrugged and diverted his attention towards the swordsman. "Wouldn't really say it was a pleasure to meetcha, but what the hell you got against ShinRa anyways?"

"That, my friend, is a long story," the ex-SOLDIER answered, shaking his head. He sighed heavily as he tried to find some sort of comfortable position on the floating Tiny Bronco. The sun beat down mercilessly on him, and he could already feel trickles of sweat joining the sopping nature of his clothing. It was irritating.

The pilot grunted. "Well, it is not like we don't have the time. We ain't goin' nowhere fast," Cid pointed out, even as his fingers twitched. Damn, he really needed a cigarette. Nicotine cravings tended to make him jerk. His fingers trembled, and in order to occupy them, he grabbed a hold of his spear and started to fiddle with the materia in it.

"On the contrary," came Vincent's voice from the wing of the plane. Three pairs of eyes snapped up in astonishment when they realized that the gunman was walking towards them and actually speaking. "We are caught in a rather swift current, and we cannot be that far from shore. I suspect we will arrive on land a few hours after nightfall."

At present, it was mid-afternoon. The sun was still shining relatively high in the sky, steaming the water out of wet clothes.

Cid snorted. "How would you know?"

Vincent narrowed his eyes at the contrary Captain, looking down at him, his face cold and impassive. "I won't waste my breath explaining it to you. Suffice it to say, I am correct."

Cid leapt to his feet, anger evident as his eyes flashed. "You insultin' me or something? I will gladly take you down right here and now!"

"Boys! Stop this foolishness!" Aeris demanded running to stand between the two glaring men, her eyes flashing. She was surprised as well. Vincent didn't strike her as the type to begin an argument.

"He started it!" the pilot accused, fingering his spear. He never once took his gaze off of the gunman. However, he was not really angry so much as slightly irritated.

"Childish…" Vincent muttered, turning away from both Cid and Aeris. He went back to his original position on the plane, sitting on the wing to gaze back out at the ocean, effectively shutting them all out once again.

The woman shook her head at the gruff pilot as he plopped back down, stroking his weapon lovingly. "Damn cold vampire…" he mumbled under his breath.

Cloud simply exhaled slowly from off to the side as he observed the events. It was going to be a long day… a _very_ long day. If they were lucky, they'd kill each other first before ShinRa even got a chance at them. Some days it just didn't pay to be the leader of AVALANCHE.

---

They washed up on a beach a few hours after sunset, just as Vincent had predicted, much to Cid's chagrin. The day had gone by rather uneventfully after Vincent and the pilot's little tiff with Cloud explaining to Cid why they all hated the ShinRa. In short, the gruff Captain had joined their expedition, his anger with Rufus and desire to see the stars stirring him. And despite his irritation with Vincent's behavior, he was also insanely curious about the man. He was certain there was a story behind his odd looks, and the pilot was nothing if not a curious person.

The four sort of friends climbed off of the battered Tiny Bronco and proceeded to make camp on the beach. They were not really sure where they were until they found themselves meeting up with their other companions. Apparently, they were still in the Rocket Town area, and Tifa and the others had started searching the beaches hoping to find a sign of them.

"Cloud! I was so worried about you!" the brunette exclaimed the moment she saw the spiky-headed leader, and Tifa ran up to Cloud and threw her arms around him, enveloping him a big hug of welcome, which he managed to extricate himself from with difficulty. The woman appeared to pout before allowing him some space as Barret, Nanaki, Yuffie, and Cait Sith finally arrived, having followed after Tifa at a much more muted pace.

The ex-SOLDIER shrugged. "It was nothing really. Just a minor crash into the ocean…" His words trailed off, mind already deep into thought as to the location of Sephiroth and ShinRa's next plans. Now that they were on solid ground again, it was time to consider their next moves.

"You idiot!" she yelled, punching him viciously in the shoulder, and he cringed slightly as she was rather strong. "You could have been killed!" Cloud shot her a nasty look, which she promptly ignored, and he rubbed a hand slightly over his aching shoulder.

"But they didn't!" Cait Sith declared, sauntering up to the group. It wobbled, waving its brass megaphone from side to side. "I knew my fortunes were always accurate." The thing peered at the newest addition to their group, a big smile forming on its feline face.

"What about the plane?" Nanaki queried quickly, attempting to distract her. He was glad to see his friends had survived as well, though he did not make a point to comment on it.

"Fuckin' trashed!" Cid's voice exclaimed suddenly, appearing behind Cloud. "A piece of damn junk now. Won't $ fly at all!" It was obvious that he was upset by the loss of his beloved plane and only chose to cover that up with his coarse attitude.

Tifa frowned, wrinkling her nose at his vulgar words as she leveled a stare at the pilot. "Is there any other way we can use it?" she asked, still hovering needlessly close to Cloud.

The Captain's face took on a thoughtful expression as he ran a hand through his hair, idly adjusting the goggles on his head as he did so. "Well, it does float. I might rig it so we can use it like a boat. But it won't be able to go into deeper waters."

Cloud nodded in understanding. Any transportation was better than none at all, especially since they had no clues as to the direction their quarry had taken. "Do it then. I want to get going as soon as possible. We have to find out where Sephiroth was headed and why Rufus needed your plane."

Cid scratched his chin. "It may take some time."

Slightly irritated by what had occurred, the ex-SOLDIER replied a bit more shortly then he had intended. "Then, you had better get started then, shouldn't you?" Cloud ordered gruffly.

The pilot's mouth dropped open in astonishment as Cloud proceeded to stalk off, leaving him gaping like an idiot. "Of all the fucking nerve!"

"Ignore him," Tifa said soothingly. "He gets like that sometimes." Letting the comment lie, she ran off, chasing after Cloud and calling out his name. Amusingly, the younger blond appeared to ignore her.

Nanaki shook his head, also walking away from the pilot. He moved to help Aeris and Yuffie start the fire, while Barret and Cait Sith were attempting to put up the tents, neither of them having too much success. It was going to be a cold night for all of them. The Rocket Town area was the nearest to the north they had been so far in their journey, and it seemed none of them were too keen on returning to the town.

Cid, finally recovering from his initial shock, went over to the remains of his beloved plane and inspected the damage more thoroughly. His blue eyes roamed over bullet holes and tattered framework, as well as twisted metal framing and fire-stained sheeting. His baby was a fucking mess, but perhaps not completely unsalvageable. He could rewire the engine and move it so that it floated more out of the water. If he crossed the wirings to the propellers, it just might be possible to make her move. Gritting his teeth angrily, Cid got to work, cursing himself for the lack of cigarettes as he did so.

His mind wandered as he worked. Unsurprisingly, his wandering thoughts centered on his new companions. Strange lot, they were, from the young and rude leader to the odd cat-mog-toy creature that talked. Honestly, the design of the toysaurus was vaguely familiar, a memory niggling in the back of his mind. The sight of it had initially surprised him and unnerved him, as well. The stuffed moogle thing was way too fuckin' cheery, and for Kami's sake, what the hell was the megaphone for?

He could already tell by just a glance that he and Tifa were not off to a great start. The strange cat-fire-thing he didn't really have an opinion about… or the scantily dressed ninja for that matter. Didn't she know that it was _cold_? Someone needed to tell that kid to go put some clothes on. He didn't like the way she was covetously eyeing the materia in his spear either, so he kept the weapon close and a sharp eye out for her. Aeris was alright, he supposed, not really having an argument either way about her.

But as for the last… Humph. There was something alluring about Vincent, even with his fucking cold ass attitude. From the moment that Cid had first laid eyes on the gunman, he had known that there was more to the man than appeared. He was usually pretty perceptive about people, and he hadn't failed to notice that the rest of Vincent's companions, with the exception perhaps of the flower-girl and the cat-fire-thing, seemed to avoid him like a plague. He had even caught Barret, a man Cid felt like he almost could get along with, giving the gunman suspicious stares. It was as if they were afraid of what Vincent might do to them.

He took his eyes off the Tiny Bronco and risked a glance at the gunman, noticing that Vincent stood apart from the others, arms folded over his chest as he watched without really seeing them. There was a distant look to his odd, blood-colored eyes, and in a way, he gave off the aura that he was trying his best to shut them out. As it was, Vincent was being completely ignored by the companions.

Without meaning to, Cid found his gaze traveling over the form of the ex-Turk, something he hadn't failed to notice before either. He was tall, lithe with long dark hair. Honestly, he was a beautiful man, and being a lover of men himself, Cid could appreciate that, though Vincent's personality may have left a little something to be desired. Yet, despite their almost rocky start, he had the feeling that there was something beneath the icy facade that Cid could make a friend out of, and curiosity compelled him to do so.

If anything, it would be an interesting adventure to try and do so.

Cid's lips curled into a smile as he returned to fixing the Tiny Bronco. They couldn't go anywhere until he did so after all.

---

It must have been around midnight when Cid finally succeeded in getting the task done, or so Vincent observed. For the most part, everyone was sitting around the campfire, talking quietly, no one quite ready to go to sleep yet. Having only three tents between the eight of them, he supposed no one wanted to get started on sleeping arrangements. He cursed inwardly to himself from his position just beyond the ring of companions. That meant he was probably going to have to share with someone. He didn't particularly enjoy that thought but didn't mind who so long as it wasn't the ever suspicious and crass Barret. Vincent was not in the mood for another one of the man's loud proclamations of his insanity or his untrustworthiness. However, the gunman's attention was grabbed when Cid finished his tinkering in the crashed plane and made his way back to the group.

The pilot rejoined them, sighing loudly as he sank onto the ground, flopping into a comfortable position. "Damn thing is done," he announced, but no one said anything. "Don't I get a thank you or something? Damn!" These children really lacked in manners.

"What did you expect? A resounding applause?" Vincent questioned mildly.

Blue eyes snapped in the gunman's direction, daring to believe that might have almost been a teasing tone to Vincent's voice. A crimson gaze met him coolly, and Cid harrumphed, choosing not to respond aloud.

"Then we can leave tomorrow, and it won't sink?" Cloud asked, looking up from a handful of dry rations that he was munching on. The ex-SOLDIER was also propped up on the ground, sword sitting at his side.

Cid nodded. "Yeah, she won't sink." He reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lighting one up as the other's watched. Thin curls of smoke began to coil up around his head and into the night sky.

"I thought they were all drenched," Aeris asked suspiciously, narrowing her jade eyes on him.

Cid shrugged, taking a deep drag of the cigarette as he fought off a lingering yawn. Damn, he really was getting too old for this sort of thing.

"I found a pack stashed in the Tiny Bronco as I was fixin' her up. Damn Shera always trying to get me to quit. I have to keep hidin' the stupid things. Forgot they were there."

"It is a nasty habit," Tifa commented, wrinkling her nose.

"Yeah," Yuffie added in loudly. "You stink, old man."

"Well, no one asked you now did they?" the Captain shot back, breathing in deep of the nicotine and blowing out the smoke in their general direction. Tifa waved her hand about her face ,even though the smoke came nowhere near her and scooted closer to Cloud. Yuffie merely scowled and shook her fist at him.

The younger blond sighed wearily, running a gloved hand through his spikes. "I think it's time that we all got some sleep," he suggested in a tired voice.

"What makes you say that?" Barret questioned with a snort. He was, of course, being sarcastic.

Aeris glanced at him before giving a slightly ironic smile. "We are nearly biting each other's heads off," she stated. She, for one, could use the sleep, the excitement of the day having worn her down.

Cait Sith chirped cheerily, "I could always entertain everyone!" The little cat on top of the stuffed moogle performed an impromptu jig, and Cid was hit with another wave of familiarity, his lips thinning in thought as the thing trumpeted with its megaphone. "I could read fortunes or sing or--"

"No!" everyone declared at the same time, their words echoing around the campsite in a chorus as eight voices quickly shot the idea down. The black feline slumped as the toysaurus flopped down on the ground, sniffing dramatically.

"Fine," it muttered. "I'll just go over here then." It didn't move, however, instead choosing to promptly fall asleep. Quiet snores began to echo around the campsite, causing the other companions to mutter in irritation and turn their backs on the strange… _thing_.

Tifa snorted, drawing attention to herself once more. "We are not angry with each other. Cid is just being an asshole." She glared at the pilot, who promptly blew another puff of smoke in her direction.

Cid muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "hypocritical bitch," but he said nothing aloud.

Cloud sighed loudly and rose to his feet swiftly. "Enough!" he demanded, instantly commanding everyone's attention. They all looked back at him, different expressions on their faces. "How are we supposed to fight ShinRa if we are fighting amongst each other?"

"Sorry," Tifa murmured meekly, having the grace to look minutely embarrassed.

Cid waved a hand of dismissal. "Yeah, whatever, Spike," he mumbled by way of apology. "I've got no qualms with nobody." Tifa was just a bit annoying at times, but he didn't say so aloud. He wasn't there to start conflict, after all, but he'd be damned if he lot some young girl talk him down.

The other blond sighed and shook his head, shoulders slumping in weariness. "Tifa, Aeris, Yuffie, you three take that larger tent over there. The rest of us will split the smaller tents." He frowned slightly. "Cait Sith seems to be out, so we won't worry about him. And Nanaki?"

"I am fine by the fire," the lion-wolf inserted with a lazy feline yawn, already curled up by the lingering flames. His tail swished slowly about him.

The swordsman nodded. "Good that's settled. As for the rest of us--"

"I refuse to share with the vampire," Barret all but growled, crossing his arms as he interrupted Cloud. "He might bite me in my sleep." The dark-skinned man brought up his best glare, directing it at the so far silent gunman.

Vincent snorted in response. "I am not a vampire," he denied, voice chill with irritation and anger as he rose to his feet. "Even if I were, I sure wouldn't sully myself by consuming you!"

"What the hell is that s'posed to mean?" the other man shot back, already feeling his ire beginning to rise.

The ex-Turk narrowed his eyes, though the rest of his expression remained impassive, his voice dropping a few more degrees if it were at all possible. "Take it as you will. I am going to sleep; sort it among yourselves." He turned away from the fire and took the smallest of the three tents, disappearing quickly inside without another word.

Barret turned his attentions back to his leader. "I mean it Cloud. Me 'n Vampy just ain't cutting it. He growled in annoyance as he laid out his grievance."

The ex-SOLDIER sighed again, feeling even more tired than he had before. With so many different personalities, they were bound to clash from time to time. But damn… he was tired of acting like the elder, especially concerning the loud-mouthed Barret.

"I wasn't about to suggest that you share," he responded wearily, running a hand through blond spikes. "I suppose the three of us can squeeze into the one if necessary…" Cloud commented, trailing off. He wasn't about to share with Vincent either. He still didn't trust the gunman. It was as simple as that.

"What! You mean to say that alla ya are afraid of the man?" Cid spluttered incredulously. "He ain't nothing but a…" He searched for the right word, finally settling for something vaguely similar to what he had been looking for. "A showoff! And he sure as hell don't seem like no ordinary vampire."

Barret rolled his eyes. "If that's what you believe, then you share a tent with him. We'll see if you come out alive in the morning or not." He involuntarily shuddered, running a flesh hand over his slightly exposed neck.

"You boys are impossible." Aeris she rose to her feet, shaking her head at their ignorance. "There's nothing to be afraid of in Vincent, and you know it." She cast a disproving glare at all of them before turning her back and heading for the tent designated for the females, a definite irritated sway in her step. She didn't allow them any time to disprove her statement.

"Yeah," the ninja added in for emphasis. "We're going to bed. You men are boring." Yuffie ignored Cid's sniff of annoyance and stuck her nose up in the air, jauntily striding after the flower-girl as she idly juggled a ball of materia, one that probably did not belong to her.

Tifa rolled her eyes at both female's behavior. "Goodnight, everyone." She slowly stood, supposing she had better head to bed as well. It was beginning to get chilly, and the warmth of the blankets was calling to her. Besides, Cloud didn't seem to be interested anyways.

The three men stared at the departing women with mixed feelings. Cloud was impassive, Barret slack-jawed, and Cid mildly irritated.

'Who was a _boy_?' he couldn't help but wonder. He exhaled loudly, turning his famous Highwind glare on the two _boys_ still sitting around the campfire, the same ones that were too afraid to share at tent with Vincent, a man who wasn't the least bit frightening. Well, perhaps a little, but not enough to scare Cid away.

"I will share with Vincent!" he growled out loudly, putting out his cigarette and rising swiftly. "You two cowards can cringe together in your tent," he snarled and hunched his shoulders, stalking towards the smallest tent and muttering under his breath.

Cloud seemed bored at all this, turning his attention to his sword and casually beginning to check it for cracks and dings. It was up to Barret to respond, and so he did, quite loudly and mockingly.

"If you insist Cid. Far be it from us to argue."

Cid ignored them as he continued in the direction of his tent. He feared no one… and certainly not a tall, pale man with dark hair. Especially not ones that had a strange sort of sadness to their red eyes.

Out of everything, it was probably that cautiously concealed emotion that intrigued Cid the most. What could cause such despair in a man? He was well acquainted with sorrow himself. He had had his own share, but still… like what he saw in the eyes of Vincent Valentine.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Cid walked up to the front of the tent. Vincent had undone the bindings that held the flap open so that they hung over the doorway, effectively closing it up. Reaching out, the blond slowly drew them back, ducking as the tent was little more than four feet high. He slid slowly inside, trying not to cause undue noise. He saw a huddled shape to the far right side, obviously the ex-Turk.

"Yo, Vince, you awake?" he questioned, whispering softly. He wasn't sure if he expected the gunman to respond or not.

"No, Highwind, I am sleeping," came Vincent's obviously awake voice.

Cid couldn't help but chuckle to himself at the man's sarcasm as he came into the tent and settled on the left side. He laid his spear next to him, between himself and the walls, as he proceeded to unlace his boots. Couldn't sleep in the damn things anyway.

"That's what I thought, but I jes wanted to be sure," he responded, removing one boot before moving to work on the other. A sudden thought came to his mind. "Say, why do you do that anyway?"

"Do what?" Vincent asked with exasperation. Cid heard him shift but couldn't really see what he was doing in the darkness.

"Call people by their last names," the Captain finished. He threw his boots, and they landed somewhere near his feet as he balled up his jacket to use as a pillow. He pulled out a blanket from his pack and tried to get comfortable on the hard ground. He was getting too old for sleeping outdoors.

"I reserve first names for friends," the gunman answered after a moment of hesitative silence. His voice sounded strangely cold, almost as if he were forcing it.

Cid scoffed to himself but refrained from laughing aloud. "So, that would include how many people?" the pilot inquired. At the moment, with Vincent actually talking to him, he wasn't ready to sleep. Perhaps his curiosity would be sated after all.

"Go to sleep, Highwind," the other man growled, ignoring Cid's question. The fact that there was only one person he could call by their first name hit him somewhere deep inside. He was unworthy of anything more.

"Shit, I was just making some fucking conversation. Would it kill ya to be friendly for once in yer damn life?"

"Must you curse so frequently?"

"Yes, I must," Cid answered, imitating Vincent's proper speech patterns.

The ex-Turk sighed audibly. "You tire me."

"Shit, Vince, you're more borin' than me!" the Captain retorted. He expected a quick and snappy response but craned his ears when he got none. He turned his head to look at Vincent's form. Yet, the gunman's back was to him.

"Vince?"

"Highwind, be quiet and go to sleep," he said tiredly.

Cid growled in annoyance and turned his back, staring at the side of the cotton tent. For a minute nothing could be heard but the sounds of two sets of breathing, one slow and barely perceptible, the other sluggish and heavy.

"I need a smoke," Cid remarked, not meaning to say it aloud, but nevertheless, the words fell audibly from his lips.

"Highwind…" Vincent warned, growling only slightly.

The blond didn't respond, figuring he had pushed his limits enough for the evening. There was always the next day. Besides, he had the feeling that he had just carried on a longer conversation with Vincent than anyone else in the group. He yawned greatly then and closed his eyes; perhaps he was tired after all.

On the other side of the tent, the ex-Turk stared morosely off into the night, wide awake as usual, listening to himself breathe. It came as no surprise to him, however, when a few minutes later, soft snoring began to erupt from the pilot. Sighing to himself, Vincent realized that it was going to be a long night. Sleep never came easy to him, as if he had used his rest quota up over the thirty long years he had been in the coffin.

And when he finally did rest, it was fraught with dreams and nightmares, usually involving Hojo or things unseen. Oceans of blood and deadly claws, promises for absolute destruction and screams of terror… things that he didn't even want to contemplate, especially during the dead of night. It wasn't that he feared the dark… but rather that being enclosed in such suffocating black reminded him of that one moment when he had truly learned he hated Hojo.

A rock dug into his shoulder as he tried to find a more comfortable spot, finally discovering a place where his claw would not tear into his clothing or blanket, and another snore rose up from the other side of the tent.

Humph. Even if he had been able to sleep, he doubted if it would be possible with that racket. Vincent frowned, staring off into the darkness. Nights always seemed to last forever.

---

The gunman awoke with a start, the sound of whimpering disturbing him. He was surprised that he had even managed to fall sleep, but that thought was pushed away by another sob, which he couldn't seem to fathom for a few seconds. Yet, after a moment of realization, he understood the truth. Of all things, it seemed the pilot suffered from nightmares as well.

Rolling over, Vincent stared at the shape that was the sleeping Captain. With his night vision, he could see that the man was visibly shaking, though he was obviously still unconscious. Occasionally, he whimpered, muttering to himself in the darkness.

Sighing, the gunman knew he would not be able to sleep or even fade into numbing thought unless he woke up the damn pilot. And, for once, his sleep had been devoid of nightmares; it was ironic that he would be woken by someone else's.

Growling slightly, he moved to get up and crept over to Cid's side, crouching next to his sleeping form. He reached out and put a hand on the pilot's shoulder, intending to gently shake him awake. The man felt warm under his touch, though he was shivering slightly.

"Highwind," Vincent began, voice barely above a whisper. "Highwind, wake up dammit!" he demanded a bit louder.

Cid suddenly started, eyes snapping open quickly as he sat up, putting the other man off balance. He rocked backwards on his heels, arms flailing to catch himself as the blond's quick thinking prevailed, and a strong arm whipped out, catching Vincent's flailing arm. He gave a great yank and instead of falling backward, the gunman lurched forward, crashing into the other man. The noise was accompanied by a series of curses and an annoyed grunt.

Somehow in the commotion, their lips crashed together in a nearly violent kiss. How his mouth had found Cid's… Vincent would never know, nor would he ever understand why he didn't immediately pull away, instead enjoying the feel of a soft mouth pressed against his. He parted his lips slightly and found Cid doing the same. Their tongues met, dancing around each other, discovering the taste. He felt the barest scrub of stubble across his chin, the warmth of the pilot's body pressed beneath him, a strange sort of arousal spreading through his body as the smell of tea and cigarettes overwhelmed his senses.

His hormones seemed to take over when a small noise, it could have been encouraging, uttered from Cid's throat. Vincent pressed downward, closer to that warm heat and pliant body, closer to…

Something hard pressed against his leg, sending him crashing down into reality. His eyes flew open, even though he didn't even remember closing them. He… he shouldn't be doing this.

With a loud gasp, Vincent scrambled backwards, disentangling himself from the pilot and throwing himself as far from him as he could get in the tiny tent. He stared at the other man, who was now breathing heavily, with wide eyes. Cid's own were still closed, lips parted slightly, though he had the beginnings of a smile on his face.

"Didn't know ya had it in ya…" Cid remarked slyly, cracking open one eye to look at the gunman.

Vincent shook his head, trying to gain control of the emotions and desires that were coursing through him "What the hell are you doing, Highwind?! Why did you do that?!"

The blond stared at him for a moment in sudden surprise, mouth gaping silently. He was about to say something before his expression changed, and his eyes fell. He sat up to rearrange his bedding, which had been disrupted while they were flailing about.

"Thought you were a woman…" he mumbled.

Vincent's eyes widened in surprise. "What? How in the--"

"If you didn't wear your hair so damn long I woulda known the difference," Cid snapped angrily, cutting off the other man's words.

The two exchanged glares, neither coming out on top. Embarrassment clearly filtered in the tense atmosphere.

"Tch!" Vincent sniffed disdainfully before turning his back on the pilot to return to his makeshift bed. He climbed underneath his blanket and proceeded to close his eyes, trying to ignore both the Captain and the sudden stirrings in his groin.

"Same to you," Cid shot back, also turning his back on his tent-mate, flopping down unnecessarily hard onto his blanket. Embarrassment tended to make him pissy, despite his attempts at being friendly. He tried to ignore the shivers that still wracked his body from the unexpectedly sensual kiss. It usually took more than just that to work him up, but there was something different in Vincent. It was the way he smelled or something.

"You will speak of this to no one," Vincent's soft sultry voice commanded from the other side of the tent. It was a distinct warning, not that Cid was afraid of the man.

In response to that snide comment, the blond had only one reply. "As if I would."

There was no answer.

Grunting at his tent-mate's rudeness, more to himself than for an audience, Cid tried to close his eyes and sleep. He was minutely afraid of the dreams that were plaguing him before Vincent had so nicely woke him up.

Ugh. Just the thought of the man's name sent odd feelings straight to his groin, making him hot and flushed, remembering the kiss and the feel of the gunman's lips his own. Vincent had just started to press closer to him, seemingly enjoying their kiss, his lips just as guilty, and then, all of the sudden… he was pulling away like he had been stabbed. It was irksome, leaving Cid and his body in quite a state.

But he had no time to ponder on this because the ground suddenly beneath him, giving a great heave and beginning to shake violently. Having never encountered such a feeling before, Cid wasn't sure what to do. He held on to the earth in terror as it pitched and rolled beneath him, tent rattling. He heard the sound of a few of their companions crying out in surprise nearby.

"What is going on, Highwind?" the gunman demanded.

"How the $$ hell should I know?" Cid answered shortly, still annoyed with Vincent.

Then, as abruptly as it began, the shuddering ended. The ground stopped pitching and rolling, and all was eerily still… deathly silent almost. It was very unsettling.

One by one, the companions began to edge out of their tents, almost afraid of what they would find. They gathered near the embers of the dying fire, Nanaki already sitting up, quite alert as he was on watch for danger.

"There is a new smell on the winds," the fire-wolf remarked as he sniffed surreptitiously, tail swishing about behind him. Golden eyes looked up at the sky, judging the position of the stars, his remarkable perception for such supernatural things enabling him to sense what they could not.

"Could it have been something Sephiroth did?" Tifa questioned nervously. There seemed to be no other explanation in her mind. It wasn't as if earthquakes were common Gaia.

"No," Aeris answered, shaking her head. "This was something much more powerful, much more ancient. I can feel it." And hear it as well, though she kept that to herself. She turned her gaze towards Nanaki. "Can't you feel it, too?"

The lion-wolf closed his eyes and appeared to concentrate before he spoke again. "Yes, I see. Something has happened. The fates… they have shifted."

"Bullshit!" Cid swore. "I don't believe in fate! It's somethin' explainable I bet."

Aeris shot him an exasperated glance. "Then what?" she demanded. "Since you know the ways of the planet so well, what is your explanation?"

The pilot spread his hands in a gesture of defeat. "Just 'coz I'm not a supernatural man doesn't mean I have to take any half-assed explanation. I'll believe what I want." He snuffed as he strode away from the group, heading back for his tent.

Yuffie sniffed. "Stupid old man," she commented, her eyes following where Cid had disappeared. She was vaguely intrigued by what had occurred and wanted to know why, but the little ninja gave a big yawn then, sleepiness overcoming her curiosity.

Cloud sighed at the pilot's behavior. "Well, he has the right idea at least. There's no use in talking over things we know nothing about," he commented, his eyes wandering to the star-filled sky. "Go back to sleep."

Grumbling to themselves, he was at once glad that they did as he asked without an audible fuss. His companions shuffled back to their tents, but Cloud himself remained outside, perched close to the fire. He felt an odd shiver wrack his body. Something was definitely off and different. He might not be able to sense things like Nanaki or even hear the planet like Aeris, but he knew something was changed. He just didn't know what.

With a sigh, Cloud settled in for a long night, knowing that sleep would evade him. It would be a while until morning.

- - -


	4. Rising Desires

(This means inner thought)

Warning: So... there is smuttiness in this chapter. If it is too graphic, I would appreciate you telling me so before reporting me and getting this deleted. It's hard to find the balance between too much and not enough. Don't be a jerk, you're four chapters in, I think we know already that this is yaoi and if you've read any of my other stuff, you know that I write yaoi. Leave a review and let me know if I should edit the scene again, mmkay? Thanks!

**Chapter Four: Rising Desires**

Vincent grimaced as he looked at the flashing lights and the bright colors of the theme park, Gold Saucer. He really hated places like this and strongly wished that it wasn't necessary that they be there.

Unfortunately for him, wishes didn't come true, not his at any rate.

Cloud and the others, himself included, had discovered that Sephiroth was heading for a place called the Temple of the Ancients. In order for them to open said Temple, they needed a special key called the Keystone. Some man in an isolated house, which they had miraculously stumbled upon thanks to Cloud's useless sense of direction, had told them that Dio at Gold Saucer possessed the keystone, so there they were. Should he have mentioned that everything they had accomplished so far was blind luck rather than great leadership?

Vincent snorted to himself.

Cloud had been required to entertain dear Dio in order to get the keystone. The poor kid hadn't last any longer than three rounds in the battle arena, and he had seemed pretty angry about it, but Dio had simply laughed and handed over the key. Vincent had thought then that they would be able to leave and get the hell out of this supposedly "happy" place. His left eye had started to develop a twitch, and no matter how much Tifa seemed to be enjoying herself, the gunman had been glad that Cloud was adamant about their departure.

Yet, little had they known that the damn transit train was going to break down, trapping them all here until the park employee's got off their lazy asses and fixed the blasted thing. Which meant it was going to be later rather than sooner that they could finally leave, and there wasn't much else for them to do but suffer, him especially. Surrounded by the glitz and glamour, the gaiety and the color, he felt suffocated by happiness. He knew, of all things, he didn't deserve this.

Sighing to himself, Vincent followed the others into the brightly lit place. The cat-moogle thing had told them that they would all be offered free room and board at the hotel, so that was where they were heading now. He was only glad that the hotel had chosen a theme more suited to his tastes: ghosts and things that went bump in the night. The gloomy building would be the perfect place for him to hide while they waited for the tram to be fixed. But of course, before he could lock himself inside his room, Cloud decided that they all needed to have a meeting.

Oh joy.

The group of friends, or whatever they wanted to call each other, sat down in the common area, discussing their next move. Vincent wasn't surprised when Cid promptly fell asleep as Aeris began her long tale, though the gunman personally found it vaguely interesting, all her nonsense about the Ancients and Sephiroth and finding the Promised Land. Truthfully, it sounded like nonsensical religious crap to him, but he didn't bother to point that out. He did not think that anyone in the room would appreciate the comment.

He found it odd that no one mentioned the bizarre earthquake of a few nights past. They hadn't received any more events since then, but still, it seemed so odd that one of them had yet to question it again. However, they were all strangely quiet on that front, and he sure wasn't about to bring it up himself.

So he let his mind wander for some time until Cloud and Aeris finished their long discussion, which probably could have easily been squashed down into a few choice phrases, and told everyone that the night was their own. He was free to seek the solitude of his own room. Well, to be more precise, the one he would be sharing with Cid unless the Captain decided it was "safer" for him to room with Cloud and Barret.

Of course, Cid, the illustrious and avid listener that he was, chose that moment to snort and start awake. He glanced around blearily and sat up, finally realizing that almost everyone had left.

"Wha-What's going on?" he asked Vincent, snagging the other man's arm as he passed.

"You slept through the whole speech, Highwind," the ex-Turk commented, neither answering his question nor caring what he thought.

Cid waved his hand in a gesture of dismissal. In the past few days or so, the duo had developed an unlikely friendship that was really little more than a truce. Somehow, the kiss between them and that awkward night had been forgotten, and a strange sort of rhythm developed between them. The blond had learned how to be silent, and in thanks for that, the gunman gradually answered the questions that he asked. It was easier to speak to someone when they weren't constantly regarding him with suspicion or fear, and due to that, Vincent accepted Cid's presence above that of the others and did not push him away quite so forcefully.

Further, Cloud had gotten into this odd habit of keeping them together, and since he usually wanted Vincent in his party, Cid was the inevitable third choice. The ex-Turk had this sneaky suspicion that the swordsman trusted neither of them and wanted them nearby at all times. At least, the boy was getting slightly more intelligent. Perhaps there was hope for the future of Gaia after all… if Sephiroth or ShinRa didn't kill them first.

"What do I really need to know, eh? Sephiroth's the bad guy that's gonna kill us all. We gotta stop him." The pilot shrugged. "Big deal. Just point me in the direction of the bad guy, and I'm good," Cid commented with a snort, stretching as he moved to stand. His bones cracked and popped, causing Vincent to wince before he realized he was even doing so.

The gunman shook his head, ignoring Cid, and started towards the stairs. Most of the others had headed towards Gold Saucer, intent on enjoying the attractions. He thought Cloud had gone to his room as well, but a few minutes later saw him getting dragged away by Aeris.

Cute.

Vincent fought the urge to grimace.

"So where'd everybody go?" Cid questioned as he lit up a cigarette, blue eyes watching Vincent with a strange expression. He knew exactly what the other man's plans were going to be before the gunman even spoke them, and as his newly designated "friend", Cid felt obligated to stop him. Or at least make another attempt at being "friendly" with the guy.

"Most have gone to enjoy Gold Saucer. As for me, I am going to bed," Vincent answered curtly as he continued up the stairs.

Cid shook his head and darted forward, latching onto his arm and giving a great yank. Startled, Vincent fell backwards, landing almost completely in the pilot's arms. His eyes widened in surprise, turning to regard the blond with a confused expression, one slowly replaced by irritation.

The other man smiled down at him, cigarette bouncing between his lips. "Well, well, what have we got here?" He tried to ignore the rush of arousal that threatened to thread through him at just the feel of the ex-Turk in his arms.

"Let go of me, Highwind," Vincent ordered with a snarl, glaring at the pilot and pulling himself out of his grasp.

Cid was unperturbed, however. "C'mon, Vince, I want to go have fun, and I don't wanna hafta go alone." His grin widened. Vincent didn't scare him, even with that deadly glare of his.

"I don't have fun," the dark-haired man snapped, wrangling himself free from and managing to put at least a small measure of distance between them. He crossed his arms over his chest defensively and frowned.

"Tonight, you're gonna," the pilot insisted, determined to befriend the reluctant man. "C'mon," Cid stated, grinning from ear to ear. He latched onto Vincent's arm again and started moving for the door, pulling the other male with him.

"Cid…" Vincent warned, trying to remove his arm from the pilot's steel grasp. He didn't even realize what he had said, too involved with trying to break free. It wasn't that he was wholly adverse to the idea of going somewhere with Cid, as much as it was that they were in Gold Saucer of all places and he absolutely loathed the atmosphere. He knew that the more time he spent one-on-one with the pilot the more likely he was to do something the both of them would regret. He didn't want to have that on his conscience.

The blond stopped suddenly, turning to look at him in wide-eyed amazement. "Holy fucking shit, Vince," Cid whispered, mouth slightly agape. He allowed his hold on the gunman to go slack for the briefest of moments.

"What?" the gunman asked, eyes turning dark.

"You called me Cid. Not Highwind… but Cid. Maybe I am getting through to you…" the pilot trailed off before a huge grin covered his features, and determination settled firmly in his body. Even if he was in danger of losing a limb, he was going to make Mr. Vampire have fun, or his name wasn't Captain Highwind.

Vincent violently yanked himself away and started to stalk away, choosing not to respond. In some fashion, he felt that he was being teased, and he hated that above all things.

Cid once more tried pleading with him, rubbing a hand through his hair as he realized the mistake he had made. "Ah, c'mon, Vince--"

"Stop calling me that!" Vincent whirled around and gave the blond pilot his most ruthless glare, crimson eyes glinting with an almost evil shine. He _hated_ nicknames. Not even when he was a Turk had he allowed them to give him a code name.

The blond sighed and acquiesced to his request. "Alright, Vinc_ent_, don't go back up to the room and sulk. Please? Jes for one night?" He put on his best puppy eyes, not at all afraid of the stare that was directed at him.

Vincent chewed the flesh of his inner cheek in indecision, torn between wanting to hide in his room and being somewhat affected by Cid's look. Honestly, a grown man begging?

Sighing heavily, the ex-Turk gave into the inevitable and turned back towards the exit. "Will you cease calling me by those ridiculous nicknames?" he inquired as he headed out the door, cloak swirling behind him.

"Sure!" Cid answered as he hurried to catch up. "So, uh, whatcha wanna do, Vin… uh er, Vincent?"

His left eye twitched again. "You tell me. I simply wanted to sit in the room," Vincent pointed out.

"Hm," responded Cid, quickly reaching for a cigarette, like it was second nature to him. More than likely, it was. "Good point." He puffed on the nicotine in thought, considering the many attractions offered at Gold Saucer. The blond looked at each, trying to decide which would be the best to please his increasingly irritated companion.

The gunman shifted where he stood, shooting a longing glance back towards the hotel. "If this is the supposed fun you have to offer me, Highwind, then I believe returning to the hotel room will be better," he remarked dryly.

"Aw, shuddap!" Cid stated, scratching his head as he fought down the slight burn of embarrassment that threatened to redden his cheeks. He very nearly felt like a teenager on his first date. He looked over the tombstones one more time before grabbing Vincent's arm and jumping in one, seemingly at random. After a rather fast ride through a tunnel, the duo found themselves deposited at the Speed Attraction.

"What is here?" Vincent asked. He hadn't explored inside Gold Saucer earlier and knew nothing of the attractions. He was instantly faced with brightly flashing lights, however, and he grimaced.

Cid simply smiled. "You'll see."

He led Vincent to the entrance and paid the lady at the booth for both of them. It was a one person ride, but with Vincent's slim body, they managed to both just fit.

Handing Vincent the small laser gun designed for the ride, Cid explained what it was. "See? We ride this track, and along the way, targets pop up. You shoot them to get points. Shoot enough of 'em, and you win something special." He grinned at his brilliant idea. How else could he get the gunman to come out of his shell but to show him something that the man enjoyed?

"And I suppose you want me to do the shooting?" Vincent queried with a slightly amused tone.

"Shit yeah! If I did it, we wouldn't win nothing!" Cid proclaimed loudly, grinning ear to ear.

With a sudden lurch, the little cart began to move on the tracks, and almost immediately, the targets popped up in random directions and shapes. Comical, nearly carnival music, sprouted through the air around them, reverberating around the cavern of the ride. From the balloons to the toy airplanes to stars and cacti, it all was utterly ridiculous.

Yet, Vincent found himself enjoying the experience as he carefully and almost effortlessly, shot every target. It was nice for once to practice his marksmanship without having to worry about his life or the lives of his companions. Without monsters looming down on them, it was a pleasant change, and Cid couldn't help but watch in admiration.

He felt a familiar stirring in his groin as he watched the other man hit each target and cursed himself inwardly. Ever since the day in the tent when they had shared a single kiss, he hadn't been able to get Vincent out of his mind. He wanted him in a bad way, and it was starting to take a toll.

Cid shifted in his seat, unable to get away from the warm press of Vincent against his side. Perhaps the close confines of the Speed Attraction weren't such a good idea after all.

Yet, the ride was over soon enough, which had him heaving a sigh of relief. Not that he hated being that close to Vincent, more like it was bringing up all kinds of erotic images in his mind that him surreptitiously adjusting himself when the ex-Turk wasn't looking. Still, as they departed the ramp, Vincent looked extremely pleased with himself. However, the two were immediately bombarded with Gold Saucer employees, who were talking excitedly about breaking records and winning the big prize.

By the time everything was sorted out, Vincent had his name printed on some billboard and won a free stay in Gold Saucer complete with food. There were some other minor prizes as well that Cid didn't felt like mentioning. He did, however, find the small bottle of lube that was presented to them amusing and idly wondered if there would even be a use for it. As it was, the words slipped from his lips before he could prevent them.

"Well, still keen on returning to the room?" the pilot asked, and he nearly slapped himself in the head. He didn't mean that the way it sounded, or maybe he did. He wasn't quite sure. Luckily, Vincent didn't seem to notice the not-so-subtle hint.

"You planned this didn't you?" the gunman demanded almost playfully, casting a suspicious eye on the pilot.

"Who, me?" the blond asked innocently. His gaze continued to trail to the basket of goodies they had won, the bottle of oil glinting at him mischievously. Not so innocent thoughts began to trickle through his mind.

"Shut up, Highwind, and lead on."

Cid beamed, with a playful salute. "Yes sir!"

---

All in all, Vincent could say that for the first time since he had departed his coffin, he had fun… or something close to it. From winning all the prizes at the Speed Event to earning more GP than he would ever know what to do with and eating and drinking with Cid at the restaurant, he had an enjoyable night. It was relaxing, almost making him feel human once more.

Full of food, arms stuffed with prizes, and having consumed a decent amount of liquor, the two finally made their way back to the hotel and the small room that they had to share. They stumbled slightly, but Vincent hadn't really drank that much and Cid had a greater tolerance than he. They had pleasant buzzes, but nothing that would take away their judgment.

Still, Vincent wasn't sure how it happened. One minute they were dumping their winnings on the floor of their room, getting ready to crawl sleepily between the sheets, and the next, he was attacking Cid with his mouth, kissing him like they were going to die tomorrow. It seemed throughout the entire night the gunman had been trying to ignore the erotic desires that had been building within him. He remembered the feel of the pilot's mouth well from their first kiss and had desired another taste ever since.

He had been trying to push away his feelings, mostly because he did not understand them. He liked men and women both but never men like Cid Highwind, so he did not understand where his sudden attraction for the foul-mouthed pilot came from. All he knew was that his nights were filled with dreams of them doing the most erotic things.

And he wasn't supposed to allow himself these carnal pleasures or happiness in any form, not with the path he had laid for himself. He had revenge to exact, a past to lay to rest, peace to find for Lucrecia. Where in that equation was there room for beginning a new relationship… and with a man at that? To him, it felt like he was betraying Lucrecia in some fashion, but then, a tongue slid over his lips, and it was forgotten.

Vincent moaned slightly when Cid opened his mouth to let him in, his calloused hands finding a rest on the gunman's chest. Vincent unconsciously leaned into the touch, seeking the warmth of the other man's body, and the pilot's fingers danced over the smooth fabric of the ex-Turk's shirt before reaching upward for the clasps that held his cloak in place.

It was the unsnapping of the first button that brought Vincent out of his desire-induced fog. He jerked his head away from Cid, giving him a slight push back from him as he gathered his cloak tightly around himself. His lips tingled, his mind reeled, and his body was aching in places that had been dormant for far too long.

"What the hell have you done to me?" the former Turk demanded, eyes flashing. He hated how defensive he sounded but knew no other way to find some level ground. Every time he was around the pilot he felt like he was spinning out of control, and he couldn't stop himself. There was an undeniable pull, something physical and _there_, and he couldn't ignore it.

"Me? You started it this time, Vin, not the other way around." Cid flushed, face darkening with both anger and embarrassment, especially since he was sporting a painfully hard erection. This happened every time! They got so fucking close, and suddenly, Vincent had a change of heart. He wanted to know _why_?

"You've cast a spell on me or something similar. I just know it!" Vincent snarled, beginning to pace. "Ever since that night, your face, your touch, it haunts me, and I can think of nothing but touching you!" he spat angrily, directing a glare at the pilot, who could only look at him dumbfounded.

"Me? I can build a damn plane, but love spells are not my thing," Cid said, shaking his head in denial. "Besides, I thought it was you doing something to me!" When backed into a corner, he did what any normal man would do: come out swinging. He could tell that there was a mutual attraction, so why was Vincent trying so damn hard to deny it?

"I don't sleep with men!" Vincent stated furiously, stopping to scowl at Cid. He knew it was an utter lie, but he was desperately trying to gain control of himself and the situation.

The pilot remained unimpressed by his denial, sky blue eyes flickering to the obvious bulge in Vincent's pants. "Well, you certainly want to right now," he pointed out accusingly.

The gunman cursed before he turned and strode up to the pilot. "This is your fault!" he hissed, standing eye to eye with Cid.

"Look, Vince," the blond began, trying to ignore the fierce look on Vincent's face. "There are no such things as love spells, and you damn well know it. Quit trying to run away from what's really going on here."

"Oh?" Vincent demanded. "And what would that be? Please enlighten me, oh learned one, of my obvious insufficiencies," he replied in a sarcastic tone.

Cid chewed on his bottom lip in an effort to rein in his irritation, heaving a great sigh before cursing inwardly. "Fuck you, Vince," he replied instead, voice sharp and bitter as he whirled on his heels and stalked towards his bed. "I never should have tried to give a fucking damn," he muttered to himself as he flopped down, presenting his rigid back to the gunman.

For a moment, Vincent could do nothing but stare at Cid's back, fighting inwardly with himself. He had succeeded in pushing the pilot away but now regretted it. His entire body ached, shaking with need and desire. He was intensely aroused, slightly drunk, and unable to do anything about the annoying and confusing feelings flooding through him. He clenched his fists in an attempt to regain control.

He was not going to give in. He was not going to give in. He was not going to give in.

Hell! What would one time really matter? Perhaps that was all he needed, one night with the pilot, and he would be satisfied enough.

With that firmly entrenched, he swiftly made his way to Cid's bed and wrapped his arms around the pilot, kissing the back of his neck. Vincent nearly melted at the feeling of the warmth, the achingly familiar sensation of having a body pressed to his own. It was such a welcome distraction from the cold, lifelessness of his coffin, and Cid's skin felt so warm against his lips, sending a shiver down his spine and straight to his groin where his cock surged in his pants.

Yet, the pilot resisted, if only at first. "You're acting like an asshole," Cid accused, though his body betrayed him, arching back into the touch. It appeared that his words were only a token denial.

Vincent paused as he considered, unable to deny the truth. "Yes," he commented softly, his breath puffing gently across the back of Cid's neck as he pushed their bodies even further together, trailing gentle kisses along whatever skin he could reach.

The Captain growled but could not ignore the heat that rushed through him. It had been some time since anyone had affected him like this, and it was a heady notion. He sighed in acquiescence before turning over quickly, surprising Vincent with his actions. Before the gunman could say another word, the pilot latched onto his lips, pressing insistently against him and rubbing a leg across the hardened bulge he could feel in the front of Vincent's pants.

The other man eagerly slipped his tongue inside Cid's mouth, tasting a flavor that was already frighteningly familiar to him, and he rubbed their groins together. Sparks of pleasure raced through him, and he moaned, balancing himself on his claw as he used his flesh hand to pry the clothes off of his companion. He was slightly embarrassed at how he fumbled about like a virgin.

Regardless, he devoured the blond's mouth hungrily, delighting in the feel and taste of flesh against flesh. It had been so long since he had last had any type of physical contact other than their previous kisses.

Cid's own hands roamed up and down Vincent's body, unbuckling clasps and undoing belts. He cursed in his mind as he fumbled with the many straps, buttons, and clasps. Why in hell did a man need so many of the damn things?

Vincent's mouth suddenly moved away, trailing kisses from his lips to his chin and nibbling down his neck until he reached the sensitive area of his collarbone. The pilot could only moan quietly at the sparkling feelings that raced down his spine, but Cid gave a small shout of victory when he finally got the damn cloak free and pushed it off. Soon, the belt followed, but in trying to undress each other at the same time, their limbs became tangled along with their clothes.

A sense of urgency set in, and the two reluctantly broke apart, ripping off their own garments. Cloaks, jackets and pants went flying in all directions, and Cid could only gasp at the beauty of Vincent's body, despite the many scars that he saw. All because of that damn Hojo, or so he had heard. Vincent didn't speak of it much, and the blond wasn't about to pry into such painful things. Nevertheless, Vincent had mostly smooth, ivory skin and was rather lean, which suited him.

Yet, a second later, Cid finally found himself completely nude, Vincent pouncing on him. He wrapped an arm around the gunman and latched onto his lips, pressing insistently into his mouth, and he curled his other hand into Vincent's hair, pulling out the headband so that the dark tresses fell free. He tangled it around his fingers.

Vincent pressed himself against the pilot, all other thoughts abandoned. He rubbed his groin into Cid, moaning as their erection's touched and sent shocking waves of pleasure through both of them. He reached out with his flesh hand and grabbed onto the blond's arousal, stroking it. Cid moaned as he sucked on the other man's tongue, delighting in the feel of the gunman's hand.

"You realize," Vincent started, his voice little more than a breathy gasp, as he pulled back to look into Cid's eyes, "that I am seme."

"You've done this before." It was a statement, almost an accusation, especially considering how much Vincent had denied his attraction in the beginning.

The former Turk narrowed his eyes, refusing to respond.

Cid waved his hand in dismissal even as Vincent stroked along his length again, drawing out a breathy moan. "Fine… I don't care… just fuck me." And he truly didn't either. Top, bottom, it didn't matter to him; both were equally pleasurable, not to mention he had the feeling that if he had said no, all erotic motions would cease at that very moment. He was too far gone to back out now.

"You don't have to ask twice," Vincent growled as he pressed forward into Cid, knocking him off balance so that he fell backwards onto the bed. Vincent came crashing down on top of him, and for a moment they were pressed together, skin against skin.

Vincent edged one leg in between Cid's thighs, even as his mouth devoured the pilot's. He trailed kisses, nipping lightly as he worked down the blond's chin, neck and collarbone. Cid writhed beneath him, hands outstretched, searching, touching on whatever he could grab. Calloused fingers pinched Vincent's nipples as another hand ran itself through his silky hair, tugging it with eagerness, and with a great heave, Vincent put his hands under the pilot's body and moved him further up onto the bed.

Pressing his claw gently against Cid's chest to hold him down, Vincent sat up, ghosting one finger down the pilot as he knelt between his legs. Cid squirmed and writhed beneath him as he slowly pleasured the pilot with his mouth, stretching him with careful saliva-slickened fingers. The other man was actually quite attractive when he wasn't spouting off random curses and chain smoking his contstant cigarettes, at least, this was what Vincent allowed himself to think.

"Dammit, enough!" the pilot panted, glaring fiercely. "Quit teasing. Do something." The last came out as almost a desperate plea, and despite himself, Vincent found he chuckled lightly.

He raised a brow. "Dry, Highwind? I didn't know you were into pain."

Cid scoffed. "I'm not." He gestured towards the pile of crap they had amassed and dumped onto the floor of their room. "Lube. There. Go."

Vincent again fought down his laughter as he eased his way off the mattress and padded silently over to the basket, digging around until he found the lube. It was fortunately unscented. Seconds later, he was back where he wanted to be, tanned legs draped on either side of his hips as he carefully and diligently prepared his lover. Vincent idly remarked to himself how there was very little awkwardness between them. This was their first time having sex, but he was oddly at ease. There were no uncomfortable pauses or questionings. Instead, they just smoothly fell into place.

It was strange and yet comfortable, something that he found highly disturbing for a one-night stand. But he pushed those distracting thoughts out of his mind as he removed his fingers from Cid and slicked up his own erection, sliding his body forward. He waited for some signal from the pilot before progressing, lifting his eyes to meet blue ones. He almost chuckled at the frustrated look on Cid's face, spear-calloused hands clutched tightly onto the comforter of the hotel bed. It was all the permission he needed.

Vincent nodded, more to himself than anyone else, and slowly began to press forward, stifling back moans of pleasure. Cid was incredibly tight, wrapping around him like a heated vise. Their bodies began to move in tandem, lost to the waves of pleasure that arose. The sound of flesh hitting flesh, coupled with their intermittent groans and moans, filled the air. Pleasure built up within Cid, coiling tightly with the force of his impending orgasm and threatening to overwhelm him at any moment. He reached up with one hand and tangled his fingers in Vincent's hair, keeping the gunman in place as he locked their lips together and bucked up into the hand stroking him continuously. He was very nearly there.

The blond's orgasm washed over him with the force of a tsunami. The rhythmic clenching of Cid's body was the ex-Turk's undoing as his own release was wrenched from his body, accompanied by a deep and throaty moan.

Gasping tiredly, Vincent collapsed onto Cid's chest. For a moment, neither of them moved, just relaxed in the afterglow. Sweat trickled down their bodies, the heavy scent of musk and sex filtering around them.

Using the last bits of his strength, Vincent pulled out and rolled over to the side. He laid next to his lover, eyes closing on their own accord. He felt fatigued but also slightly energized, as if a part of him once dead had newly awakened.

He dangled his claw off the edge of the bed, determined not to tear the bedding any further and waited for his body to come down from its orgasmic high, his breath slowly evening. Beside him, Cid stretched, purred, and rolled over, bringing a blanket with him and casually throwing it over both of them.

For the night, it would be all right. At least, this was what Vincent told himself. What could it hurt, just sleeping this once with someone beside him? What could it hurt to accept that small measure of comfort?

So when Cid tossed a leg over his and promptly began to drift off into sleep, he didn't protest, merely accepting it for what it was. He didn't bother to think of what could be. Instead, Vincent scooted just a smidgeon closer to the Captain, absorbing the warmth that Cid practically radiated as he felt himself drifting off. Perhaps his sleep would be restful for once.

---

"Hey, Vincent! Cid! Cloud says to get your asses moving 'cause we all leavin' today!!" Yuffie's screeching voice loudly transcended the thick wood that served as the door to their room in the hotel.

Vincent jerked awake, slightly disorientated and inwardly cursing the sound of the little ninja's voice. For the moment, he didn't remember where he was. He tried to get up but felt a heavy warm weight on his side and over his legs. Blinking blearily, he tried to discern what the hell was going on. A manly groan immediately drew his attention. The weight on him shifted, and he found himself looking into a pair of very vivid and blue eyes.

Then, it all came crashing back: the two of them together, Cid crying out in ecstasy beneath him, falling asleep in each other's arms.

And now, the pilot was giving him a look. He knew exactly how to classify it, and Vincent suddenly realized that he may have made a terrible mistake. He had nothing to offer, nothing at all, and perhaps, they may have gone too far.

The gunman moved, surprising even himself with his determination to get out of bed as swiftly as possible. However, he was halted by a firm grip on his wrist as he fell, crashing back into the mattress. He landed on top of the Captain, who subsequently wrapped both his arms around him, pinning his arms to his sides.

"Where the hell do you think yer goin'?" Cid demanded in a gruff but sleepy voice.

His mind ground to a halt, paused, and rewound as he struggled to gain a hold on his own emotions. He ignored the warmth emanating from the body beneath him and the natural way it felt to be held there, instead concentrating on what he was supposed to be accomplishing. That had nothing to do with what he actually wanted or desired.

"Strife has called for us," he answered coolly. "We are leaving."

"And suddenly, you are that eager to respond to his #$& call?" Cid snorted. "You aren't goin' nowhere until we talk this out."

"There is nothing to talk about," the Vincent said carefully, struggling to pull free. He could still smell the scent of musk and sex all around them.

Again, the pilot snorted disbelievingly, his hold inexplicably tightening. "If that was true, then you wouldn't have tried to bolt from the bed like a Malboro was on yer tail!"

Vincent went utterly and completely still. "Let go, Highwind." He desired to escape, and he couldn't think with Cid wrapped around him like that. He could scarcely breathe.

"Oh, back to last names again?" The annoyance was clear in the blond's tone, but he kept his hold.

Vincent remained silent. He did not want to respond the prying questions. In truth, his mind was still replaying the images from the previous night over and over. That, and the close proximity to Cid's still naked body, was making him feel hot all over. He had thought that afterwards there would not be anything more between them. He had never been more wrong, and it terrified him. He wouldn't go through another Lucrecia. He couldn't.

"Why are you trying to deny it, Vince?"

"Don't call me that."

"Quit avoiding the question."

Vincent sighed. "Strife will be highly annoyed."

"Like you give a fuck what he thinks. I'm not lettin' you go until you answer my questions."

The ex-Turk was silent for a moment, a swirl of emotions running through his mind. He had thoroughly enjoyed last night, more so than he had ever thought he would, and that scared him. He was confused and was not sure what to think. With Cid demanding answers, he felt as if he was locked into a corner. He needed time to think, and he wasn't being allowed that. He desperately sought to get some space, and so said the only thing he could think of.

"It was nothing, Highwind. Now, let me go." His voice was cold, hard, completely devoid of any trace of emotion. It even surprised him how utterly lifeless it had sounded.

Cid's grip slackened, and Vincent took that opportunity to scramble away from him and off the bed. He avoided looking into the pilot's eyes as he searched the floor for his clothing, wanting to put some type of layer between them. He turned his back to the blond, although he could still feel the intent stare right between his shoulder blades.

After a moment or two of uncomfortable silence, Cid rose, angrily searching for his clothes as well. His movements were jerky, exhibiting his irritation.

"Nothing, huh?" he spat, his voice tinged with hurt and anger.

"Don't put emotion where there was none, Highwind," Vincent commented coolly. He had yet to look at the pilot as he dressed, instead staring at the ground.

"You're a fucking liar, Vincent, and you know it," Cid swore, angrily pulling up his jeans and zipping them up, albeit carefully. He searched the ground for his goggles and scarf, scooping them up with an annoyed grunt.

The gunman shrugged his shoulders, attempting nonchalance and pulling it off rather well. "It was a love spell gone awry, Highwind. Get over it. I'm sure you've had one-night stands before; this was no different."

He still hadn't looked at Cid, so he didn't see all the color drain out of the other man's face, only to be replaced with the red of anger. "There's no such thing as a fucking love spell!" he retorted.

And the ex-Turk only felt the fist slam into his face as the angry pilot stormed past him, muttering curses. The door swung open and slammed shut, leaving Vincent alone in the room, rubbing his sore cheek and licking the blood off his lips.

It was for the best… or so he tried to convince himself. At this point, they didn't need the distraction, the worry. It was only supposed to be a one-time thing, a way of getting his silly infatuation out of the way. But now, he was more confused than before, and something inside of him ached. It shouldn't, but it did.

Why did it hurt so much?

---

The betrayal of Cait Sith was taken rather well considering the circumstances. If anything, it only strengthened the hatred of ShinRa already in existence. In truth, the stuffed moogle was correct in saying that it was done and over with. They all really had no choice but to continue on.

Still, each reacted in their own way to the incident. Barret was the hardest to calm down, cursing and vowing to destroy the toy for putting his daughter in danger. Aeris gave him her most disappointed look, which was enough to make anyone feel guilty. Vincent simply shrugged, utterly unsurprised. Cloud, being the leader, understood the situation and restrained from destroying the toy. Tifa and Nanaki were both surprisingly silent, while Yuffie vowed to tear it limb from limb, planning to sneakily steal its material at the same time.

But it was Cid's reaction to the event that startled everyone most of all. He just looked at Cait Sith furiously before turning away, eyes flickering to Vincent for a second, but only the gunman caught the look, fortunately. The blond then muttered something under his breath that they strained to hear before stalking off towards the newly fixed tram… if it had ever even been broken to begin with.

"His was not the only betrayal." The rest of the companions could only stare after the departing pilot in shock.

"He's pissier than usual." Yuffie commented with a snort as she hefted up her shuriken and took off after him, Nanaki trotting at her side.

"Yuffie," Aeris said with a sigh, shaking her head at the ninja's antics. "Perhaps if you didn't aggravate him so much."

Beside her, Tifa sniffed. "Doubtful. He's just an asshole. And it's not like that's going to change." She and Barret joined the flower-girl in heading towards the tram, Cloud trailing behind them at a more sedate pace, face scrunched in deep thought. He had suspicions, however, and wasn't going to voice them just yet.

This left Vincent and Cait Sith the last remaining, the toy's shoulders dropping visibly until the gunman moved to stand beside him. He put his hand lightly on the stuffed moogle's shoulder, gaining his attention. He stared off after the retreating figures, eyes narrowed slightly.

"There are always reasons," he said simply, voice low but reassuring.

Cait Sith looked up at him, clearly confused, staring up into the gunman's face. There was a troubled look in his red eyes, a look that made the toy almost feel as if there was a kinship.

Then, the hand was gone, and the former Turk was swiftly moving towards the tram, the link broken. Cait Sith paused for a moment before hurrying to catch up. After all, they had not forbid him from coming along. And perhaps, in some way, he could find a way to make it up to them.

Vincent was right. There were always reasons, and sometimes, it was better for all those involved if they just didn't know them.

----

Review, please. Thanks!


	5. Into the Night

AN: The conversation in the last part of this is somewhat different from the game but is based upon the script. I am well aware of this, thank you.

**Chapter Five: Into the Night**

They barely made it to Gongaga, limping their entire depressed group across the ocean in the Tiny Bronco turned boat, and it had been up to the brawny Barret to carry the unconscious Cloud over his shoulder. A nice sized lump had already formed on the ex-SOLDIER's face from where Vincent had struck him, and the gunman cursed to himself inwardly as he remembered what had happened. Damn Cloud for forcing that action upon him.

The entire foray into the Temple of the Ancients had been a disaster from the moment their set their feet on the wooden plank bridge connecting the temple to the main area of the island. Aeris had immediately begun to act oddly, hearing the voices of the Ancients and continuously pushing ahead of them so that he and Cloud were forced to run to catch up.

In the entranceway of the Temple, they had received what was their first, but certainly not last, surprise… a nearly gutted and almost dead Turk Commander hunched over beside the altar space. It had obviously been the work of Sephiroth, and Tseng had been on his last limbs. He had used his last vestiges of strength to give them the keystone and explain how it worked before dragging himself off to the side. His fate had seemed to depress Aeris, who turned melancholy after that, but Vincent had seen the wound for himself. Tseng wasn't completely done for if he could get some aid. Yet, judging from their location, he hadn't known if that would be happening anytime soon.

He hadn't have any more time to ponder on this, however, because in the next moment, Cloud had placed the keystone on the pedestal, effectively dropping them into what would be a most annoying labyrinth of ridiculous proportions. It had been fraught with huge, powerful creatures and nearly impossible to kill status-changing monsters. Further, it had been a long and hard journey as they fought their way through the maze, chasing after what appeared to be a continuously disappearing mute spirit.

Vincent could barely contain his joy the entire time.

Making their way through a rock-rolling trap, which had nearly taken off Vincent's only flesh arm, they had managed to get a glimpse of what awaited them ahead via use of a reflecting pool, which had shown a room they hadn't yet discovered. What had been most important was the vision of Sephiroth, only serving to spur their eclectic group forward. They had learned just how Tseng had been injured, and having once been a Turk himself, Vincent had felt the smallest stab of sympathy. Still, it had hurt far more to see the child of Lucrecia in such madness. Regardless, it had been then that Cloud acted even more strangely than usual, something that Vincent had noted but not cared to point out.

Perhaps he should have, though he doubted it would have made much of a difference.

Their next travels had taken them to a huge clock, which predictably lead to twelve different rooms, and Kami forbid, they should fall downwards into the gloom. It had come as no surprise when the ever-so-graceful Cloud had managed to knock them down into a battle with two voracious Ancient Dragons.

And for their troubles what did they receive?

A Nail Bat… probably Cloud's most ridiculous weapon yet. That wasn't even mentioning another long trip through the maze. It had only gotten more and more fun from there, and Vincent had been forced to bite his lip from saying his sarcastic thoughts aloud. His two companions had seemed lost enough as it was.

Predictably, the rooms in the clock area had led to dead ends or useless items more often than not. Finally, however, the pathway marked VI had taken them into yet another maze. This time, they had to chase around a different mute Ancient, who got his jollies by leading them on a wild goose chase through several doorways, all of which were enchanted and never led to the same place.

After successfully catching the old man with Vincent reminding himself he was not allowed to strangle the ghosts of the Ancients, they had been given a key. This key had opened the locked door, no surprise there, which took them to a room shown in the reflecting pool earlier. There, Sephiroth had awaited them.

In true evil guy fashion, he had begun to tell them his entire plans for world domination in explicit detail, pointing to the series of hieroglyphs on the wall to enunciate his point. The former General had proceeded to fuck with Cloud's mind, and generally make Vincent doubt his leader's sanity even further, before disappearing into obscurity, leaving them a fun present in his wake.

A battle with a Red Dragon.

Killing that creature turned out to be easier than it had first appeared, and the trio had then continued forward, Vincent again noting his leader's strange behavior. But oddly, Aeris had shot him a look, one he hadn't quite understood. She could obviously see how Cloud behaved but chose to ignore it. However, she had probably been more versed in the younger man's eccentricities, and though he was annoyed by the obvious falsity, Vincent had chosen to keep his mouth shut.

From there, they had found the Black materia, only to realize that it would require a sacrifice on one of their parts to retrieve it. No one had seemed inclined to do so until Cait Sith called, somehow psychically sensing their difficulty. In order to make up for his betrayal, the stuffed mog had been more than happy to sacrifice his artificial body. With that minor roadblock taken care of, the three companions had made their way towards the exit… or what they assumed to be one. Either way, the damned pieces of the clock hadn't let them go any other direction.

Vincent had definitely smelled a trap.

Therefore, it had come as no surprise when the fucking wall suddenly attacked them, growing a head and two arms that had attacked with deadly accuracy. It had been perhaps the most difficult enemy they had to fight in the Temple. Once they came through slimly victorious, they had limped out of the rapidly shrinking Temple. And just in time it had seemed as not long after, Cait Sith completed the puzzles and the Temple had become the small globe of Black materia.

Predictably, the moment all the dirty work was done, Sephiroth had reappeared. To add insult to injury, all of Cloud's weird behavior had escalated then, and he had given over the Black materia to his foe and then had proceeded to attack Aeris as if she was the enemy. Horrified at Cloud's behavior, Vincent had done the only thing he could, and since his words had not pierced the insane fog of their leader's brain, he had socked him in the face, trying not to feel so very satisfied as he did so. At least, he had successfully put the ex-SOLDIER into a blissful state of unconsciousness, and the chance that he might have broken the blond's nose had been a definite plus.

Thinking back, that had been the only thing about the damned Temple of the Ancients that was even worthwhile.

Though part of Vincent cursed Cloud thoroughly for what he had been forced to do, especially since the others chose that exact moment to show up. If Cloud hadn't gone insane… then the gunman would have never had to stop him from hurting Aeris, the woman Cloud seemed to love.

Had Sephiroth truly fucked with the boy's mind that much?

And now, their leader was unconscious. They were holed up in Gongaga's pitiful excuse for a hotel. The Black materia was in Sephiroth's hands, and Cait Sith had been destroyed by the shrinking of the temple. Was there anyway possible for the situation to get any worse?

The ex-Turk sighed then as he leaned against the wall, thinking that he had probably just jinxed them as he surreptitiously watched his companions. A solemn air had taken over the group, encompassing even the normally hyper Yuffie. She was lying on a bed nearby, playing toss and catch with a few materia that were probably not her own. The sight of Cloud clobbering Aeris had upset her greatly, and she had been rather subdued since then, not that anyone was complaining.

Barret and Tifa were talking in low tones over at a close by table, her worried brown eyes occasionally darting towards the doorway where Cloud's unconscious body was just visible. The gun-armed man wasted his glances on glaring at Vincent, as if blaming him for everything that happened. However, the ex-Turk ignored him easily as Barret had yet to vocalize any of his idiotic thoughts. The two true members of AVALANCHE were, outside of Aeris, perhaps the most concerned about the decline in Cloud's mental state.

The flower-girl, predictably, was sitting at the blond's side, one slim hand wrapped around his. Worry was etched into her features, never minding the way her body more than likely ached from the few successful blows he had managed. She had yet to leave his side and seemed to be contemplating something as well, but Vincent had yet to out figure what.

The fire-wolf, Nanaki, was currently sleeping, curled up on the floor of Yuffie's bed. He had been agitated earlier, pacing across the floor with his ears consistently twitching. It was enough to make anyone antsy, and Vincent was glad when Nanaki finally ceased his nerve-wracking motions.

And then, there was Cid. The man, if Vincent was going to be completely honest with himself, that had been overtaking his broody thoughts more and more lately. He knew that the pilot was still angry with him, which he also knew he deserved. He had treated Cid very poorly… to be honest, he had been an ass. He had his reasons, of course, but that didn't make it right.

It wasn't that he was drunk, though that certainly quieted his inner self-hatred for his failure in restraining himself. For some reason, Vincent found himself attracted to the brash and vocal pilot. Cid wasn't afraid of him, nor did the man seem upset by his rather… frightening appearance. He did not treat the ex-Turk like glass or like a traitor, and perhaps in many ways, Cid was everything Vincent was not. He was free with his emotions, living with dreams, following his heart, as silly as that sounded.

And Vincent had been alarmed. He hadn't left the coffin to start a relationship, to find _happiness_ when Lucrecia had suffered, and he knew that Cid wanted to help him, to befriend him if anything. He could see it in those blue eyes every time they ventured his direction, even now with the anger that the pilot was practically radiating. Or as Yuffie so eloquently put it, he was "more pissy than usual." And it wasn't fair to Cid, not when his heart still belonged to Lucrecia.

And it had happened in such a short time. He had known the pilot for less than two weeks, and yet, somehow, the man had managed to do what few others had. He had see the man, Vincent Valentine, rather than the mask.

It was rather unnerving… if not a bit welcome, and that was a fact that frightened him, resulting in the tense atmosphere between the two of them at the present moment. He hated losing what was perhaps his only true friend of the companions gathered about him, but it may have been what he deserved. After all, if he couldn't save the woman that he loved, what good was he?

His broody thoughts were disturbed when the sound of footsteps floated to his ears. The steps were too light to be the overweight innkeepers and too determined to be just a random passerby. Vincent's entire body tensed as he shifted his gaze to the bottom of the door, seeing the shadow move across the small gap. He quietly reached for his Silver Rifle, thinking that somehow ShinRa had found them.

His motions were noticed, but he quickly shushed them with a wave of his claw as he shifted his body towards the exit, eyes locked on the shadow. The stranger outside stopped directly in front of the door, seeming to consider something. Vincent raised his gun, silently cocking the weapon as he saw the doorknob begin to turn slowly, and everyone behind him had their eyes locked on the door as well.

The door opened, swinging inwards very slowly, and the ex-Turk reacted instantly. He darted forward, grabbing the spy and shoving him against the wall face forward, the barrel of the Silver Rifle pressed into the back of his head. The door was slammed shut as his captive immediately went still with shock, face pressed tightly against the wall.

"Why are you lurking outside our door," Vincent demanded coolly, one finger curled around the trigger. He hated shooting people this close; it created quite a mess.

The man struggled to breathe, but it was rather difficult with one cheek pushed firmly against the wall, the strength of the altered human keeping him still. Vincent noticed the stranger was wearing a blue suit, tailored in an expensive fashion. He took note of black hair and amber eyes, but he wasn't quite ShinRa material. He was possibly a Turk, but no Turk worked alone unless the rules had changed in his long absence.

"I… wasn't lurking… per se," the man answered, attempting a slightly nervous chuckle as he swallowed thickly. "I was just… oscillating."

"Oscillating?" Vincent questioned with a nervous twitch of his brow, the word being growled more than asked.

The man nodded. "I really had no choice. That last stunt put me on their traitor list."

Traitor list? Confusion began to settle into Vincent's mind, succeeding in irritating him further. He hauled on the back of the stranger's tailored suit and forced him to turn around, sticking the barrel of the gun directly into the amber-eyed man's neck.

"Who are you?" he demanded at the same moment that he felt a presence approach him on his left side.

"Reeve?" Cid asked with shock, cigarette dropping from his mouth. "What the hell?"

Amber eyes shifted towards the pilot, attempting a nervous smile. "One and the same." His gaze moved to Vincent, darting between the gun and the rather painful claw that was pressing him against the door. "Would it be all right if you let me go?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Vincent saw the pilot narrow his eyes and shake his head in confusion. "What the fuck're you doing here, Mr. ShinRa?"

Reeve sighed and lowered his head. "I thought for sure you'd recognize my design, Cid."

Sky blue eyes widened. "You were the one behind Cait Sith?" he questioned in surprise, sudden understanding dawning behind him. There was a sound of two chairs being shoved backwards as Tifa and Barret stood.

"You knew that Cait was my first invention. I thought you guys already knew who I was," Reeve replied, still a pale color from the gun pressed against his neck. He swallowed thickly, amber eyes darting from person to person as he was subjected to many angry glares. "I… uh… had to leave ShinRa. They found out I turned on them by helping you guys and put out a death warrant for my head. I remembered Cloud saying something about meeting up at Gongaga if anything went wrong so… here I am."

It was then that Vincent chose to finally release Reeve. The ex-Turk didn't trust him, perhaps still thinking he was a spy, but didn't think that the rather non-threatening man could hurt them faster than Vincent could shoot him. He holstered the Silver Rifle and took a step back, allowing Reeve some breathing room but never took his questioning gaze off of the dark-haired man.

"You're trying to tell us that you're on our side now?" Tifa questioned with a snort, obviously not believing him for one moment. She put her hands on her hips as she regarded him with a sneer.

Reeve's eyes fell, staring at the floor. "I know I made a mistake with the keystone, but there are… circumstances."

"Circumstances?" Barret sneered. He pointed an accusing finger at the executive… well, former executive. "You used my own damn daughter against me, and you expect that you can come to _us_ for help? How do we know this is not just another damn trick?"

Cid cleared his throat, garnering everyone's attention though Reeve did not raise his head. "I believe 'im," he interjected. "He ain't a true ShinRa like that $#$ bastard Rufus. I doubt he could even lie to our faces like he could through Cait Sith. Besides, he'd never really hurt a kid… likes the little runts too much for that. Reis'd probably skin him alive if he ever did."

"You mean, they really tried to kill you?" Yuffie inquired, her voice registering her surprise. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she regarded Reeve, wondering what use he would be in his present state, not that Cait Sith had been very useful to begin with. "Always knew ShinRa was a bunch of lying, backstabbing bast--"

She was cut off, however, when Nanaki cleared his throat, gathering everyone's attention with his solemn look. "I think, perhaps, that it is best if we wait until Cloud wakes up and let him decide what to do about Reeve."

Amber eyes raised, looking startled. "Wakes up? What happened to Cloud?"

Barret waved a hand of dismissal. "Nothing for you to worry about, ShinRa boy." He pointed towards a corner. "You jes sit your ass down over there until we decide what to do with you. Can't let you go now. You might go running home to daddy Rufus and tell him all you know."

The ex-executive opened his mouth to say something, his entire body going rigid before sudden understanding flickered in his eyes. He slumped, gaze again falling to the floor.

"I deserved that."

Tifa snorted. "And more… but that will do for now."

Vincent heaved a barely audible sigh of relief as Reeve moved away from the door, inching slowly. The gunman felt the sudden urge to escape from the torrent of emotions flying around the room, and immediately, he headed for the now free passageway, ignoring the looks that were sent his way as he slipped outside and closed the door behind him with a quiet click. Only then did he feel he could breathe easily. His ears twitched at the sound of more conversation beginning within, but he no longer wanted to hear it. The more Barret repeated his idiotic accusations and blustering, the more annoyed Vincent became at his own choice of traveling companions.

He quickly made the decision to go outside and seek some solitude. Silent and swift steps took him through the deserted foyer of the inn and out the main entrance, stepping into the welcoming coolness of early evening. He paused just outside the doorway, pondering where he would find his isolation. However, he quickly spotted a small overhang over near the cemetery. It was secluded and gave him a clear view of the entire town. It would suit his purpose just fine.

Vincent swiftly made his way over to his selected location, making himself comfortable on the small ledge. One foot dangled over the side, the other drawn up so that he could lean an arm on his knee, his clawed hand digging into the grass beside him. It was quiet and cool, almost peaceful, a far sight better than the tense and emotionally charged atmosphere he had left behind in the inn. And he finally had his thoughts to himself, not that they were that pleasant to begin with.

The ex-Turk continued to run the through the same topics in his mind, over and over: Lucrecia… Hojo… Sephiroth… Cid… the demons… It was a continuous cycle of pain and regret and hatred, all boiling into a seething pile of emotional _mess_ that he only pushed further and further into a distant part of his mind. If he didn't, if he allowed any of those emotions to take root, he feared losing his sanity. And he had little enough of that left as it was.

He had failed Lucrecia. She was the woman that captured his heart so easily, even after years of him trying to prevent that trap. Her easy smile, innocent eyes, optimistic personality… it all seemed to blend into the perfect woman for him. Still, he had failed her. His pride, his naïveté, had caused him to go against a madman unarmed. His memories were crap, but that much he remembered. And he literally burned with hatred for that… monster… Hojo.

He couldn't remember much of his time spent in the mad scientist's… _care_. For all intents and purposes, Vincent knew it was somewhere around three years before he was sealed away, but he could only recall fleeting glimpses. Pain, agony, despair, crawling and clutching at him, twisting taloned fingers into his soul and refusing to release him.

He remembered the day his arm was dissected from his body and the agony that followed, the feeling of his blood rushing from his body. It left him cold. Yet, he couldn't recall the day he had been given the claw, nor could he remember just when or how Hojo had given him his _demons_, the vile parasites that invaded his body and shared his blood.

He could hear them, always whispering in the back of his subconscious with their blood-soaked lullabies and calls for destruction. They spoke of the glory in murder, the ecstasy in taking life. He ignored them as best he could, sickened by what they described in horrifying detail. He had grown numb to the sight of slaughter by now. Gore and blood were so familiar that he barely even reacted to them now, and every day that passed he felt that he was becoming less human. Every time he changed into one of those _things_, he returned to his human form with a feeling of distinct loathing for himself.

Except… there was now a new and strange ingredient to the crazy concoction of his life. Cid was forcing his way beyond Vincent's icy barriers and, by Kami, making him feel like there was actually a human beneath the monsters. And he had done so in so very little time. It was no wonder he wanted to believe it was the fault of a love spell or something equally trivial and fantastical.

A sudden movement caught the gunman's eye, bringing his thoughts to an abrupt halt. He turned, putting his full attention on the door of the inn, noting a flash of bright pink and then auburn before the door slid shut, enveloping the person in darkness once more. However, he had already recognized who it was.

Aeris.

But what was she doing? Why had she finally decided to leave Cloud's side?

He curiously watched her as she started on the path that would lead her out of town, making her inevitably pass directly by where he sat.

Vincent considered calling out to her, perhaps asking her where she was going or what she had planned, but the words dies on his lips as she suddenly turned, green eyes glinting as they fell directly on him, piercing the darkness. It was like she had heard his unvoiced question.

Aeris paused beneath where he sat, her head tilted to look up at him. "I should have known to expect you out here," she said softly, beginning the conversation as though nothing out of the ordinary was occurring. "Reeve's appearance was certainly unexpected."

He narrowed his eyes. "Where are you going?" Blunt and straight to the point was definitely his style.

She shook her head, gaze shifting to the sky as her eyes took in the many stars. The staff at her side, the Princess Guard if he remembered correctly, tapped in a slow and steady rhythm against the ground.

"To stop Sephiroth," the Ancient responded, her voice bordering on playful.

Now, he was intrigued… and confused as well. "What do you mean?"

She still faced the heavens. "Cloud knows. When he wakes up, I'll be long gone, but he'll know why. He won't really understand, but he'll know." She sighed, one hand fidgeting with a button on her dress. "He really shouldn't have to face Sephiroth again. I hate to say it, but he isn't strong enough yet."

Vincent snorted in response. Against Sephiroth, Cloud was little more than a mindless puppet. Her words were an understatement of epic proportions.

"That explains nothing."

Aeris shrugged listlessly, finally returning her gaze back to him. "You can't stop me from leaving," she informed him, like she believed he had been about to jump down and physically restrain her.

Truthfully, the thought had never crossed his mind. She was her own woman. It wasn't up to him to tell her what to do, especially when he looked at her and saw a familiar gleam to her eyes. It was resignation and determination, as if her mind had been made and nothing was going to stop her. Whatever the flower-girl was doing, it had long been chosen in her mind. Even if he had originally thought to, he wouldn't have stopped her after seeing her expression.

Instead, he remained silent, leaning perhaps a bit more forward on his knee. She smiled briefly in response, lowering her gaze to the ground.

"Thank you," Aeris replied softly. "The others… would not have understood." Their eyes met, understanding passing between them before the Ancient continued on her way without another word, leaving him to his own contemplations.

She was right, of course. If it had been anyone else to notice her leaving, Aeris would have been stopped. They would have offered to go with her, to protect her, to wake everyone else and join along. They wouldn't have been able to see that whatever the Ancient was doing, she needed to do alone.

He also knew that they wouldn't understand why he had let her go either. Vincent had the feeling that when Cloud awoke and realized that Aeris had departed that somehow everyone would try to place the blame on him.

The ex-Turk exhaled with exasperation, content to remain outside until the "shit hit the fan" so to speak.

He didn't have to wait long.

---

"Aeris…" He spoke quietly, the name barely passing his parted lips as his eyes opened slowly, blinking in the harsh light overhead. He was disorientated, dizzy, completely unaware of his location or what had happened. The dream was still fresh on his mind. Had Aeris… had she truly gone?

"Yo, Spike!"

Confused mako eyes rolled to his left as his head turned, landing on two people who were watching him intently. He recognized them vaguely, Bifa and Tarret… or was it Tara and Baffet… or maybe Tifa and Barret. His head throbbed painfully as he tried to decide which was correctly. His entire body ached fiercely, a spike of pain racing across his nose as he lifted a hand to it. He tapped a finger on the bridge, wincing at the motion, even as he noticing that there was a faint bump under his fingertip. He wondered how it had gotten there.

And then, he remembered.

Sephiroth. The Black materia. Attacking Aeris. Vincent knocking him out. And then the dream.

Urgh.

"You alright?" Barret questioned, garnering his attention again. Cloud's eyes snapped open, not that he even realized they had closed. "You look like you was havin' a nightmare or sumthin'?"

Cloud smiled weakly, the pounding in his head miraculously lessening to a dull twinge. "Or something."

Nightmare, dream, premonition… Honestly, he didn't know what the hell it was.

Tifa shifted uncomfortably. "You know, Cloud… Aeris is gone. We can't find her."

The ex-SOLDIER nodded, his head swimming for a moment before he pushed himself into a sitting position. He winced at the crick in his neck and spine.

"The City of the Ancients… Aeris is headed there," he explained, finger tracing over his nose again. "Only… only she can save us from Meteor."

Cherry-brown eyes widened in surprise as Barret floundered in shock. "But… alone? What if something happens to her? Like Sephiroth? You aren't--"

The blond shook his head, cutting her off. "Sephiroth… already knows." He remembered, the leather-clad man in his dreaming. The man had talked to him, smirking at him, as if they were comrades in some foul plan.

"$$$?!"Barret demanded. "Then why the fuck are you still sittin' around here for?"

The swordsman shook his head again, gaze falling to the ground as he tangled his hands in his spiky locks, clutching onto them as if they were a lifeline. "No. I might lose it again. If Sephiroth comes near me, I could…" He sighed loudly, aggravatedly as he pulled at his hair again. "I can't do this! I'm afraid. If this keeps up, I'll go insane. I'll…" He huffed loudly once more, eyes squeezing shut as he trailed off.

Barret snarled, kicking at a chair as he stood. "Just a damn jackass; that's what you are," he spat angrily, ignoring the woman's surprised look. "You think runnin' away is going to solve anything? You just goin' to sit here and let her face your own fears for you? You stupid motherfucker!" And with that, he stormed from the room, the fierce echoes of his own footsteps nearly shaking the Inn.

Thankfully, Tifa took a calmer approach. She rose to her feet quietly, seemingly contemplating him with something akin to pity.

"You know what needs to be done," she said softly. "You won't stand by. You promised, remember?" And with that, she left the room as well, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

Cloud moaned to himself, hands clutching at his hair as he rocked back and forth on the bed, images of what he had done, what Sephiroth had caused him to do, replaying back and forth in his mind. "I'm… what am I supposed to do?" he questioned softly, rhetorically, wishing that Aeris was right there to answer him. "Pull out of here? Pull out? To where?"

He growled angrily, releasing his spikes and jumping to his feet as he kicked at the same chair Barret had assaulted earlier, splintering the frail wood with ease. "I'm afraid to find out the truth. I'm afraid to face Sephiroth. I can't… but… dammit, why?" he asked the air.

It didn't respond.

Would he always be this way? This weak, this indecisive when it came to the things that truly mattered to him. What sort of man was he if he couldn't face his own troubles to go after the woman he cared for? What sort of person did that make him, for her to face Sephiroth and the threat of Meteor alone? What did that say about him, his courage, in the face of her serene bravery?

Barret was right. He was a jackass of the worst kind. He couldn't… no, wouldn't… he wouldn't let Aeris face Sephiroth on her own. Sephiroth was his enemy, his weakness and his darkness. If he couldn't stand on his own two feet, then what was the use in living after all?

With that in mind, Cloud gathered what was left of his senses, slung his weapon over his shoulder and opened the door, now recognizing that he was at the inn in Gongaga. He walked through the doorway… and stepped into a full blown argument, which seemed to be directed towards one person in general, an impassive and steadfast Vincent. With one quick sweep of the room, he registered that everyone other than Aeris was there and accounted for… and that somewhere along the way they had picked up another companion.

Cloud frowned.

"Why didn't you stop her, Vampy?" Barret demanded as he pointed a beefy finger in Vincent's face. "If she gets hurt, I'm blaming it on you."

Crimson eyes narrowed into slits, but before Vincent could respond, if indeed he had been planning to do so, Cloud decided to reassert his control. Honestly, if he wasn't there these people would tear each other apart until was nobody was left to defend Gaia.

"Barret, enough," the blond ordered, stepping into the center of the room. "We both know how stubborn Aeris is. It wouldn't surprise me if she had cast Stop and then ran while she could."

The dark-skinned man huffed, but he looked to be seriously considering his leaders words. He could just imagine the flower-girl doing that.

Vincent didn't even give him a word of thanks for ending Barret's angry tirade. The gunman's eyebrow merely twitched before he moved out of the line of fire, content to skulk back to the shadows.

"Aeris has gone to the City of the Ancients, so we're going after her," Cloud declared when he was met with silence. Seven pairs of eyes locked on him.

Nanaki frowned in puzzlement. "Why did she leave?" he inquired, tail flicking around.

The swordsman shrugged. "I'm not sure. Something about her being the only one who could stop Sephiroth and Meteor. But we're not going to let her do it alone."

"That's right!" Yuffie cheered loudly, pumping a fist into the air. "She can't have all the glory. I wanna kick some ShinRa ass, too!"

Barret snorted. "Yeah. And you should start with Mr. Spy over there." He jerked a thumb in the direction of Reeve, who was doing a good impression of Cait Sith, standing very still like he were nothing more than a toy. Yet, now that all the attention was focused his way, he grimaced.

Cloud raised a brow. "And you are?"

"Reeve Tuesti, former executive of ShinRa," the amber-eyed man answered softly.

"Former?"

Cid interjected before Reeve could speak, surprising everyone with how he continued to stand up for the other man. "They found out he double-crossed them and tried to kill him."

Tifa humphed, crossing her arms over her ample chest. "And for some reason, he expects us to trust him."

Cloud's eyes flickered over to her with a bit of confusion. Tifa wasn't normally so… vindictive. What was it about Reeve that rankled her? He could understand Barret's fury; after all, Marlene was his daughter. Tifa and the girl were friends, but still, it was strange behavior for her.

His brow furrowed in thought.

"I didn't say that," Reeve said quietly. "I really had nowhere else to go."

The ex-SOLDIER rolled his eyes, folding his arms over his chest. The more they stood there arguing, the further Aeris was getting away. They would have to bring Reeve with them anyways. Even if they left him behind, if he was really in league with ShinRa, his bosses would instantly know their next destination.

Shouldering his Nail Bat once more, Cloud quickly bypassed everyone, motioning for them to follow him. He assumed there would be no argument.

"Reeve comes with us, and that's that. No arguing." He stepped outside. "Let's go."

He sighed in relief when no one protested and followed after him. He only hoped that they would get there in time. For what, he didn't know, but with Sephiroth involved… time was of the essence.

- - -

Reviews are very much welcome, thanks!


	6. On Our Own

Thanks to all my readers and those who take the time to leave a review! I appreciate the support.

_Flashback_

**Chapter Six: On Our Own**

Cid sighed as he looked at the expressions on the faces of everyone. Aeris' death had hit all of them hard, even Vincent. For the first casualty of their journey to be someone as full of life as Aeris… well, it just showed them their own mortality. It reminded them all that it wasn't a game; they were fighting for their lives.

Yet, Cloud claimed that she came to him in a dream, and he knew where she was going, so they all started on a chase that would take them across the world, through Bone Village, to the City of the Ancients. It was there that they received their worst shock.

Cid sighed again as his gaze lowered. He puffed quietly on a cigarette, exhaling the blue-grey smoke into the chilly air as his thoughts turned inwards, his mind replaying the scene once again.

They had come to the City of the Ancients expecting to aid Aeris, to protect her from whatever foul plot that Sephiroth had concocted. But it had been too little, too late. Before their eyes, the crazed General had dropped from above, spearing the flower-girl in half with his sword. She had knelt there on that altar beneath the city, so angelic and pure, praying to save the world she had come to love. And Sephiroth had so callously stolen that, taken her life and peace. He had disappeared after boldly proclaiming his plans and fucking up Cloud's mind even further, leaving them a nasty gift in the form of another Jenova body part, and rage had boiled over their party, Vincent and Cid having gone with Cloud into the City. The Jenova-form had been demolished, managing one last taunt before dissolving into nothingness.

It had been quite heart breaking to see Cloud after the battle, repeatedly casting Life and using Phoenix Down on Aeris. But it was far too late. Her soul had already departed. The spells and items had been completely useless. Sephiroth had succeeded in distracting them long enough to lose their small window of time. Aeris was… gone, and nothing could bring her back.

Once Cloud had been forced to give up, there hadn't been much more to be said. He had cradled her body gently in his arms and had lifted her up from the altar of the underground City. He had carried his beloved flower-girl out to the pool beyond the ancient building, wading out into the deep waters.

There, under the saddened eyes of all his companions, he had laid her body to rest. The pain in his mako gaze had been easily read, but there had been nothing anyone could say. So they had just stood in silence, watching the heart of their leader break even as he ruthlessly blamed himself in unspoken words.

Afterwards, they had all trudged to the rundown home they had claimed as shelter for the night. The companions had dispersed in their own directions, still staying within the confines of the common room, waiting for new plans. But no one had been in the hurry to speak yet or to move on. If indeed anyone had any clue what they were to do next.

None among them understood anything about the Cetra and the Promised Land. Aeris had been the very last of the Ancients, and now, she laid at the bottom of a lake. She had seemed so peaceful in her last moments, or so Cid had thought. He wondered why Cloud chose to bring Vince and him along, but he hadn't once stopped to question their leader's choice.

It had been Aeris, who was slowly leading them, even though Cloud was still technically in charge. It was her knowledge that had given them their only clues. And now, they were on their own.

Out of all of them, Cloud had taken her death the hardest. This had come as no surprise since the two of them had gotten really close in the last couple of weeks. Cid wouldn't be surprised if love had been involved, in any small but precious amount. The pilot had learned from Yuffie about the night they spent in Gold Saucer, considering it was the two of them who caught Cait Sith in the act of his betrayal. At least, Cloud had Tifa to fall back on; that girl would do anything for their spiky-headed leader.

Cid could understand how they all felt. He may not have been particularly close to the flower-girl, but he knew he would miss her unfailing smile. She had never judged anyone and even put up with his coarse ways. She had been kind to everyone, accepting even Reeve when he had first appeared and had been friendly to Vincent, the near outcast of the group.

So now, it was a solemn group that sat huddled in one of the abandoned homes. Even the fire seemed to glow dimly, barely warm enough to push away the cold.

Tifa still sniffed slightly, upset over the loss of her friend. It was long suspected that the two girls hated each other, both of them vying for Cloud's attentions. But somewhere along the way, they had realized that there were more important things and had stopped fighting. After that, they had been best friends, and it hit Tifa hard that Sephiroth could kill Aeris in such a cold-hearted way.

Finally, Cloud spoke, standing with his back to them, staring off at nothing. "Everyone, listen." At that, he had their attention. Seven pairs of expectant eyes turned towards their leader, both hopeful and wary.

"I'm Cloud, ex-SOLDIER, born in Nibelheim," he said, almost to himself. He turned around to face them. "I came to settle up with Sephiroth."

"I came here by my own free will… or so I thought." He turned his back on his comrades once again, as if he feared their reaction to his words. "But there is a part of me that I don't understand. That part that made me give the Black Materia to Sephiroth. If you hadn't stopped me, Aeris might have been." He paused, coming to grips with his words before switching his flow. "There's something inside of me. A person who is not really me. That's why I should quit this journey before I do something terrible."

He faced them once more, looking them each in the eye as he clenched his fist. "But I am going," he said solidly, almost convincing himself. "He destroyed my hometown five years ago, killed Aeris, and is now trying to destroy the planet. I'll never forgive Sephiroth. He _must_ be stopped. But this is my fight."

Tifa gasped. "Cloud, what are you saying?" she asked, looking up from her huddled position near the fire.

He sighed, lowering his gaze slightly. "You should all go home before my problems kill you, too."

Barret snorted. "No can do, Spike. We're in this until the end. Sephiroth is going to _pay_."

When Cloud opened his mouth to protest, Yuffie interrupted him with a haughty snort of her own. "You think I'm going to let a former ShinRa save the world?" she asked with an almost derisive laugh. "Sephiroth… and his materia… are my prey."

"You can't do this on your own," Nanaki added in quietly, his face solemn. "Allow us to help you." The others nodded in agreement, even if they said nothing else.

In the face of such loyalty, Cloud's resolve faltered. His shoulders fell, and he sighed, succumbing to their insistence. He ran a hand through his hair as he acquiesced. Inwardly, he wondered how they could put so much trust and faith in him, especially after what they had witnessed. Perhaps that only meant they were all fated to be companions, each mildly insane in his or her own way.

"I don't know how Aeris tried to save the planet from the Meteor, and I guess now we'll never know. The only thing we can do is get the Black Materia back before Sephiroth uses it." As everyone nodded their heads in agreement, Cloud smiled. "But don't think I'm harsh as all that. We will rest here for the night."

"Thank goodness," Tifa said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Yeah." Yuffie nodded." For a minute there, I thought you were going to make us march all night."

"There should be plenty enough room for everyone to sleep in this building," Cloud responded, shooting the ninja a look that bordered on irritation. He noticed then that Vincent had moved from his position and was stealing silently towards the door, and he watched as the gunman slipped outside, heading for some unknown location outside.

Cloud waited until the others had moved on and were ignoring him before he slipped out after Vincent, wanting to see where the man had gone, and he couldn't help the slight suspicion that gnawed at his belly. Vincent was quiet, private, never revealing anything and always hiding behind that damned cloak. The blond wasn't sure if he trusted the ex-Turk's intentions or his sanity for that matter. They were much the same, tainted by the touch of Hojo. Cloud barely trusted himself knowing that fact. How could he put faith in someone else?

He peeked out from the doorway, and Cloud could see the shadow of the gunman as it followed the path further into the village. He could not hear his steps, however, and knew that he had to be stealthy, so he carefully trailed after him for the better part of fifteen minutes, the older man heading deeper into the city until he reached Aeris' resting place. The swordsman hung back in the shadows, hand resting carefully on his blade. He didn't want to think that Vincent was there to defile her grave, but if he was…

But no. The ex-Turk merely sat by the edge of the water, one knee drawn up to his chest. His claw rested against the ground, his other arm draped across his knee. Vincent gazed across the still waters, his lips moving soundlessly. From where he was standing, Cloud could not hear him, only knew that he was speaking. Still, it surprised him, for once able to see that part of the gunman's face.

Cloud sighed and shifted, entertaining thoughts about sauntering up to Vincent and demanding to know what he was doing. Yet, as quickly as the thoughts entered his mind, they were cast aside. Instead, he would put this away for future reference. Sooner or later, he would come to understand the enigmatic man, but for now, the blond would leave him alone. He didn't believe Vincent actually meant harm, at least not in this instance.

Glancing back at him once more, Cloud turned around and headed back, certain that Vincent could take care of himself. He walked swiftly, not wanting anyone to notice his absence. He was sure that no one would particularly care that Vincent was gone, but if he stayed away too long, someone would come looking for him.

He still hurt, his heart feeling like it had been torn in two. The man he had idolized, adored… perhaps even loved, had killed the woman he had given his heart to in such a short time. And he had done _nothing_ but stand there like a mindless moron.

Kami! If it hadn't been for Cid, he would have killed her himself.

Cloud gazed down at his gloved hands, hating the sight of them. They would have been stained in her blood. His mind was not his own, his sanity faltering with every step he took towards Sephiroth. A bitter laugh escaped his mouth. He had the gall to be suspicious of Vincent when truthfully, he was the one who was the most dangerous to them. The truth was terribly ironic.

Perhaps that was why he didn't bother casting Reeve aside. At this point, they would handle whatever ShinRa sent their way, all scrawny former executives aside. That wasn't even mentioning how he wanted to believe Reeve was telling them the truth. There had been a strange look to his amber eyes, both haunted and earnest, as if he feared for someone else's life more than his own. Cloud couldn't fault him for that.

He exhaled, shoulders sagging as his steps slowed. Aeris would have told him to trust Reeve, the same way she always had for Vincent. She had always been unfailingly compassionate, but thoughts of her threatened to unravel him, only his iron will managing to pull himself into some semblance of composure.

Cloud reached into his pants pocket, pulling out a small bag that was cinched shut. Mako eyes roamed over the object, knowing already what was inside. He opened it carefully, reaching in with two fingers and pulling out a small dried flower. It had long since lost its fresh scent and color, but it still served to remind him of what he had lost.

Aeris had given it to him, or should he say he bought it from her? He wasn't even sure then why he agreed to buy a flower. He was an ex-SOLDIER; he had no need for such frivolous things. There was a look in her green eyes and a smile that he couldn't say no to. So he bought the damn thing and then told the girl to go somewhere safe. He had turned and left her there after that, but he couldn't shake that smile. It stayed with him. He had kept the flower, tucking it away in his pocket almost forgotten until he ran into her again. He had agreed to be her bodyguard, though why he did was another mystery. It was then that he had moved the already dying flower to his small pouch.

And now, just like her flower, Aeris was dead. He would never see her smile at him again, never see her question him with her thoughtful eyes. He felt his own stinging with remembered tears, and he shoved the flower back into the bag, stuffing it into his pocket. What good were memories?

Cloud breathed deeply, trying to put a lock on his rising emotions. He didn't want to have to put up with the suffocating nature of his companions, especially the increasingly clingy Tifa. She was acting bizarrely lately, a problem he had never before associated with her.

Cloud looked up, finding that his thoughts and idle walk had taken him directly to the decrepit building they had claimed for the evening. He passed through the front opening, the door having long since been destroyed and gone, and slipped in quietly. Most of his friends had already gone to sleep, exhausted by the events of the day, a fact he was thankful for. He couldn't stand the looks in their eyes. He couldn't help but feel like they radiated disappointment.

Nanaki had curled up close to the fire, Yuffie's head lying on his stomach with a content smile on her face. Cloud wondered if he knew the little ninja was using him as a pillow. They seemed comfortable enough, however, so he wasn't going to disturb them. That was one budding friendship he could _not_ comprehend.

Reeve was wrapped up in a blanket Tifa had loaned him and was snoring quietly on one of the empty beds. The man had not spoken much since joining them without the medium of Cait Sith between them. Perhaps it was because he felt guilty over his deeds, or maybe he feared Barret's wrath, though the gun-armed man was more bluster than bite. And surprisingly enough, for a ShinRa executive, Reeve was quite good in battle. He had great aim with his seemingly endless supply of throwing knives. Cloud had kept him close on their journey to the northernmost continent in deference to everyone's distrust of the former ShinRa.

Barret and Cid were sitting by the fire, talking quietly so as not to awaken the others. They both looked tired, haggard and worn, but had the gleam in their eyes that proved sleep was an elusive mistress. As for Tifa, he didn't see her anywhere.

"Where's Tifa?" Cloud questioned, moving further into the run-down building and plopping down near the fire, somewhere between the two men. They were older than him yet followed his lead, something he didn't think he could understand. Cid was "The Captain"; he was well versed in leadership, and AVALANCHE was led by Barret. Why would the two men defer to him? Especially since he had an obvious lack of capabilities? What did he have that made everyone trust him?

Barret's started in surprise, even as he managed to squint one eye at Cloud. "Ain't she with you?"

Cloud shook his head. "No," he answered, giving them a strange look. "I went outside to get some fresh air." They hadn't even asked, but he already had a lie prepared. It was pathetic.

Cid shrugged, casually flicking some ashes from his cigarette. "She's prob'ly usin' one of the beds upstairs. She might want to be alone."

"You're probably right." Cloud sighed, poking a stick into the fire. "Why don't the rest of you get some sleep? I don't think I'll be feeling tired anytime soon."

Barret grumbled. "There's no way I could sleep." He shifted his position until he was more comfortable. He continued fiddling with his gun-arm, tightening a few screws and cleaning the barrels. It was almost fascinating to the ex-SOLDIER, who hadn't thought it was actually possible to fuse man and weapon.

"Vincent is gone, too," Cid muttered, ignoring Cloud's suggestion. At his words, the younger blond's gaze shifted in his direction. The pilot had been acting odd lately, a little more short-tempered than usual and oftentimes drifting into silent moments of thought. Did everyone in this Kamiforsaken group lack a firm grip on sanity?

"I wouldn't be surprised if he was a damn spy!" Barret growled, eyes shifting to where Reeve lay asleep. "He is an ex-Turk." His meaning and accusation were clear; it was a continuously repeated argument that Cloud was growing rather aggravated with. He may not trust Vincent wholeheartedly, but he didn't go around pointing fingers at every opportunity either.

"Dammit! Not everyone's a spy!" Cid yelled back angrily, rising to his feet. "Vince may be the biggest bastard this side of planet, but he ain't a spy." He wondered to himself where his misguided loyalty had come from but stuck to his statement. Cloud and Barret gaped at him in confusion. The dark-skinned man sniffed, while his blond compatriot merely made a patting motion with his hand, gesturing for the pilot to return to his seat.

"Cid, be quiet, or you will wake the others."

"Tch! Fuck you… and your close-minded attitude!" Cid cursed, stomping away. He headed for the front exit, eager to be away, while Cloud and Barret exchanged confused looks over the fire. The angry pilot wasted no further time, storming off in no particular direction. He stomped his way down a random path, muttering curses to himself. How in the hell did he get off defending the bastard?

After the way Vincent treated him, Cid should not have cared what Barret decided to think about him, but he found that he could not. Ever since that night, he and Vincent had been rather cold to each other. They still had to share a tent or a room, depending on the situation. For some reason, no one else would tolerate the pilot's behavior, not to mention most were still afraid that Vincent was a vampire.

Cid smiled to himself, in spite of his ire. He remembered the day when he had confronted the gunman about his eating habits. The thought caused his angry steps to slow and fade, his irritation managing to dissipate somewhat. He may not have been as angry with Barret, but he had served as an outlet. Still, the memory was fresh in his mind as were the feelings that particular confrontation evoked.

_It was late at night, and they were still trying to discover where Sephiroth had gone, just a day before they would stumble upon the strange weapon maker and his home. Their group had stopped for the day, seeking to both eat and rest. Cid wasn't up to talking shit with the rest of the group and decided to retire early, returning to the tent that he shared with Vincent. It came as no surprise to him to find the man already there, lying on his side and facing away from the pilot._

_Cid cast a brief glance in his direction before attempting to make himself comfortable, but after spending several minutes tossing and turning on the hard, compacted ground, Cid discovered that he wasn't as weary as he originally believed. He also knew from the sound of Vincent's breathing that he was not asleep either. _

_Truthfully, the gunman didn't sleep much, usually the first to rise. Sometimes, he didn't even sleep at all. The pilot didn't know what exactly Vincent did during the long hours of the night and hadn't thought to pry. He was an intensely private person, and though Cid lacked tact at times, he knew when to back away from certain subjects. Asking the gunman what nightmares kept him awake at night was certainly one of those topics he should _not_ ask. At least, for the time being. Nevertheless, the Captain took a risk, not wanting to return to the talk at the fire. _

"_Vince?" He kept his voice quiet in deference to Vincent's attempts at feigning sleep. It was low enough that the gunman could pretend he had not heard but loud enough for him to respond if he was "awake."_

_His response was easily predictable. "That is not my name, Highwind."_

_The pilot waved a hand of dismissal. "Whatever, Vincent." Cid rolled his eyes. "Are you really a vampire?" He wasn't sure why _that_ particular question had popped out, but now that it was there, he might as well go with it. After all, it was the number one query burning on the minds of their companions, and as he waited for the gunman's response, Cid idly grabbed a cigarette from the pack at his side and lit it up, inhaling the burst of nicotine with gusto. _

_Vincent sighed heavily, rolling over to look at the pilot, eyes glowing in the darkness. "Do I look like a vampire?" When he saw the teasing smile on Cid's face, he rescinded, "Wait, do not answer that." _

"_Ah, come on, and I had the perfect response." _

_Vincent glared at the other man before turning back over. He tried to ignore the pilot as he attempted to settle back into that haze between sleep and wakefulness. His nightmares usually didn't come then, and he managed some semblance of rest. It was tiresome and mind-numbing, but for the moment, it was the best he could handle. However, Cid's voice broke through the quiet once more. _

"_You didn't answer my question." _

_He resisted the urge to sigh again, feeling his eye twitch. "That is because it is irrelevant." _

"_So you _are_ a vampire." He could almost detect a smirk in the blond's voice. _

"_No, Highwind, I am not a vampire. Contrary to popular belief I do not suck blood to gain sustenance," Vincent growled._

"_They think you do." Cid waved a hand, gesturing towards their companions outside the tent. As if on cue, a small burst of laughter rose up from them, breaking the silence. _

"_I fail to see the relevance." He shifted, trying to find a more comfy position, but he failed miserably. It was nearly impossible to lie on his side thanks to that damn claw. _

_Cid's voice dropped, becoming serious. "'Cause you care what they think."_

_Vincent snorted. "If that were true, then you wouldn't have needed to ask me that question in the first place." _

"_I don't believe you," the Captain muttered. Vincent could feel the pilot's gaze burning into the back of his head, but he ignored it. What did it matter to him if Cid didn't believe him? It was the truth. _

_The pilot cleared his throat. "Well, what do you eat then?" he questioned, starting up the conversation once more. "I don't think I've ever seen you eat." _

"_There is a reason for that."_

_The smirk returned to Cid's voice along with the familiar sound of an exhale of cigarette smoke. "Because you are a vampire." _

_Vincent turned over angrily, shooting Cid a furious glare. "For the last time, I am _not_ a vampire!" He hated how he sounded almost too protesting and the fact that a simple conversation with the pilot could rile him more than Barret's blatant accusations._

"_Then what do you eat?" Cid asked, not affected at all by the look he was getting. _

"_The same thing as the rest of you," the former Turk retorted. "I just prefer to eat in private. Barret's eating habits make me queasy…" he trailed off. _

_Both of them were pictured the way the large man gobbled down his food, crumbs flying everywhere. He tended to talk with his mouth full and would poke people with his fork if he was telling a story. Around Barret, they faced the fear of being sliced by a wayward knife or speckled with half-chewed food. Together, they shuddered together at the thought. _

"_I can understand that then," Cid commented with another shudder. He paused, another thought striking him as his voice took on a serious tone once more. "Why d'you let them call you vampy?" _

_Vincent sighed, looking up into the ceiling of the tent. "Because I do not care what they think of me. They know nothing," he answered voice soft. "No one does." _

"_Hell, Vince, that's just cuz you won't give no one the chance," the pilot accused, focusing his eyes on the other man. "Always hiding away and talking behind that damn cloak of yers, actin' all mysterious. No wonder no one knows anything!" _

_Vincent scoffed to himself, more than the pilot. "They wouldn't understand, even if I told them," he responded bitterly. "I can just see the looks that I would be given. It is far better to keep it hidden." _

"_How do ya know unless you try?" _

_Vincent did not respond. _

_Cid tried to press him, "C'mon Vin, you can talk to me." But he was quickly cut off before could say anything further. _

"_I am going to sleep now, Highwind. Do not bother me any more tonight," Vincent said shortly. He moved his head away from the pilot to gaze at the walls of the tent. _

_Cid frowned, still momentarily satisfied with all that he had heard the ex-Turk say already. Perhaps there was hope for them becoming friends… or something close to it. He was just beginning to drift into a comfortable cozy state when the gunman's voice floated to him over the small confines of the tent. _

"_Highwind?" _

"_Yeah, Vin?" Cid pulled the last bit of nicotine from his cigarette and pinched out the burning tip between his calloused fingers, hardly wincing. _

_There was a moment of silence as if the gunman was steeling himself to speak. "Your gesture is appreciated." _

_Cid smiled, though it could not be seen in the dark. That was as close to an outright thank you that Vincent would say. _

"_Any day, Vin, any day." _

It had seemed like the two men were going to become friends then. They still had that awkward kiss between them. But at that time, Vincent made no mention of it again, and so Cid didn't press the issue. In truth, Cid had meant to kiss him, although he wasn't sure why. All he knew was that something in him called out to the mysterious gunman.

When Vincent had kissed him at Gold Saucer, Cid was sure that his feelings were the same. Then, they had what could only be described as a night of amazing sex. Cid had thought everything was going to be fine, until Vincent woke up the next morning and went all ape shit on him. The blond could see it in Vincent's eyes, even when he flat out denied everything. There was lust and hints of something more. He was confused and knew no other way to express himself other than to push Cid away.

And now, things were tense. Well, tense was putting it lightly. The two shared rooms or tents in stony silence, only speaking when necessary. It was painful for Cid how close and yet so far the gunman was, both physically and mentally. Awkward didn't even begin to describe it either, leaving his emotions oscillating between irritation and anger.

With a sigh, he devoted his attention to the path he was talking, raising his gaze and causing him to draw up short suddenly. His travels had taken him to the crystal lake, and his eyes widened when he saw that the source of his thoughts and angst was sitting on the ground by the water, staring morosely across the placid service.

He froze in place, unable to fathom what he should do next. He was lucky that Vincent hadn't seen him yet. Cid could easily back away and head back in another direction, having never spoken to him. He wasn't up to another cold shoulder from the man, so he turned away. He would find somewhere else to sit and fume.

"You don't have to leave, Cid," Vincent said softly but his voice easily carried. The pilot stopped, thinking that the gunman had not seen him. He was again ambivalent about what he should do.

Without turning around, Cid answered," I am really not in the mood for another betrayal, Vince." He still made no move to leave, curious as to how Vincent would respond. Cid held tighter to his Trident, white-knuckled hand gripping it.

"I never betrayed you."

"Bullshit!" the blond swore angrily, leaving it at that. He completed started to leave the area. There was no way he was going to stay around. He might not stop at hitting the gunman just once if he did.

"I was confused…" Vincent still had not moved, and Cid wasn't even sure if he had really heard those words. He whirled to look at the gunman. Vincent was still facing the lake, not even appearing to see him. There was something in the dark-haired man's tone that he was not sure he could identify.

"Care to repeat that?"

Vincent sighed audibly. "Why don't you have a seat, Cid?" That was the second time that night that he had used the pilot's first name. The blond looked at the ground unsure of what he should do.

"What do you want from me, Vincent? I'm not going to make the same mistake twice. I won't hesitate to punch you again."

The gunman visibly winced, which Cid admittedly took some pleasure in seeing. He wasn't normally vindictive, but felt it was justified.

"I probably deserved that."

Cid snorted. "There ain't no probably about it. You _did_ deserve it, you bastard," he spat none too kindly, keeping his gaze locked on Vincent's face to gauge his reaction.

"Are you going to sit or continue to stand there?" the ex-Turk asked simply.

Cid did not answer. Instead, he chose to stomp over and plop himself on the ground. His spear clattered down next to him within easy reach. He did not look at Vincent but chose to stare out over the still waters as he waited for the gunman to say whatever the hell it was he had to say. The pilot hoped it was an apology to start with.

"She was a great person. She did not deserve what Sephiroth did to her," Vincent commented finally, gesturing out at the waters of the lake with his flesh hand.

He may not have been friends with the flower-girl, but she had always been unspeakably kind to him, offering comforting words or gestures in her quiet voice. She had always seemed to know the exact words that he needed to hear, not to mention she had always spoken for him when he was too weary to defend himself. He always thought it better to ignore and avoid, but she had been quick to scold, too kind for her own good.

There had been a quiet wisdom about her, one that belied her age. She had reminded him of someone, but it his memories were so scattered now. The time he had spent in Hojo's tender care was nothing but a painful blur. His soft and gentle moments with Lucrecia were slipping from his memory. It was like there was something within him, eating away at his thoughts and memories. He could scarcely remember anything about his past before the Jenova project. His life as a Turk and even memories before that were fading.

His gaze fell on the still waters, remembering the gentle flower-girl. Vincent felt guilt over her death, as if there was something that he could have done to prevent it. If Sephiroth had never been born, if he hadn't been such an arrogant fool, Hojo would never have won. It was his own pride that caused him not to carry his own weapon that day, his pride and Lucrecia's soft pleading.

It was why he had come to this place, to apologize in his own fashion to Aeris. No one else would be able to understand, but that didn't matter to him. It seemed he would spend the rest of his life always apologizing for things he should have done. He kept making mistakes, enough so that his lifetime would be consumed with atonement. It was a sad thought.

"Yeah." Cid sniffed, disturbing him from his reminisces. He returned his attention to the pilot as he continued. "We now have a great reason to shoot the bastard on the spot." The blond reached for a cigarette, knowing he would need the nicotine rush to deal with the conversation.

Vincent winced but refrained from commenting on _that_ particular statement. "I should have done something. Then, she never would have died." He spoke softly, his voice seeming strained.

Cid looked at him, noticing how much paler he was. His eyes widened in surprise when he thought that Vincent's eyes were red-rimmed. He had never seen such an expression on the gunman's face before, and it made him uneasy.

"What could you have done?" the Captain asked quietly, hoping he wasn't making things worse. He wasn't quite sure what Vincent wanted from him. "Damn Sephiroth came outta nowhere, and Cloud wouldn't let us on the platform."

Vincent exhaled harshly. "I'm not talking about that."

Like he was supposed to know what the hell Vincent meant by his damn double-meanings. He wasn't freaking telepathetic, telepathic, or whatever the hell it was.

"Then what're you talkin' bout?"

Vincent shifted his eyes, seemingly searching for something. Cid wasn't sure what he was attempting to find, and the gunman dropped his gaze once more, looking down at his hand as he clenched and unclenched his fist. He shook his head, squaring his shoulders as he stared at his gloved fist.

"It's nothing. Forget it." The gunman shivered faintly.

Cid huffed. "Damn, Vince. You're the one that told me to sit here," he stated, now highly irritated. "Now ,you gonna go all close-mouthed on me?"

"It was nothing, Highwind. Just a forgotten memory that never ceases to show me the error of my ways." Vincent shifted his position, golden claw scraping lightly at the rocky ground.

"Oh, so it is Highwind again? You never cease to piss me off, _Valentine_," Cid sneered. He puffed on the last of his cigarette, scraping the butt against the dirt before flicking it away. He grabbed the spear at his side, prepared to rise and get the hell out of there before he punched the gunman again.

Vincent titled his head, looking at Cid. "I didn't think that you were the type to hold a grudge."

The pilot snorted. "Yeah… well, when someone fucks your brains out and then tells you it meant absolutely nothing, it tends to make you somewhat cynical," he muttered bitterly. His own gaze fell away as he carried on his original train of thought, pushing himself to his feet and casually slinging his spear over his shoulders. If he clenched his fists around the shaft of the Trident; it was better than slamming his fist into Vincent's face. At least, that was what he was telling himself.

Something flashed in the gunman's eyes as he started to rise as well; perhaps to stop the pilot from leaving, he wasn't quite sure.

"Cid, I--" Vincent began to speak but the sound of an explosion interrupted him.

The two immediately flicked surprised eyes to where they had left their companions earlier in the evening. The bright orange flash that rose into the night was a foreboding flare.

- - -

Thanks for reading! Leave a review before you go!


	7. A Rock and a Hard Place

**Thanks for reading and review. Thanks to all those on my alert list and who have favorited me!**

**Chapter Seven: A Rock and a Hard Place**

"Try using Bolt on it!" Cloud ordered, panting heavily. He lifted his Nail Bat again, darting forward to attack the strange creature. It struck with a heavy clang before bouncing backwards, unable to even pierce the thick armor. He gritted his teeth in anger, trying to find a weak spot when he heard the crackle of electricity.

Cloud had only seconds to duck away before the Bolt 2 crashed into the creature from Nanaki's cast. Yellow and white crackled over their enemy before fizzling into nothingness, doing very little damage if any at all. Panting, the human backed away until he stood beside the lion-wolf, wondering if there was any way to defeat their opponent.

"It's not working!" Yuffie exclaimed, skidding to a stop on the other side of Nanaki as she easily caught her flying shuriken between two fingers. The ninja was huffing slightly, sweat streaming from her forehead and causing her to push up at her headband. The metal beast had already gotten hold of her once, and her arm was bleeding from a gash twelve inches across.

A dagger whistled through the air, slamming into the monster's nearly impenetrable armor before dropping harmlessly to the ground. Cloud traced the trajectory of the weapon, finding Reeve sidling up behind them, already digging with a free hand into his pocket as he came up beside Yuffie.

"Here," Reeve said softly. "Drink this." He calmly handed her the bottle filled with the bubbly, violet liquid, even while keeping his gaze carefully trained on the monster. His other hand, the right, held another dagger at the ready, prepared to throw should the need arise.

The noise of gunshots could be heard over his voice, easily proving Barret's presence on the battlefield. However, the dark-skinned man was preoccupied with taking out the hordes of ShinRa soldiers that accompanied the initial attack.

"Thanks!" The ninja grinned before downing the potion in one gulp. Almost immediately her wound began to close up, slowly knitting together until nothing but a wide, pink scar remained since the potion had the strength to close it up. Lifting up her shuriken with one hand and mentally reviewing her materia with the other, Yuffie quickly jumped back into battle, letting out a battle cry as she went.

The metal monster that they were struggling to destroy was unlike anything they had ever faced before. Not only was it sporting several rather large guns with laser locking, but it seemed to have eight claw-like arms with haste-induced speed. Further, its bluish, steel-like armor was all but unbreakable, taking every strike of Cloud's sword like they were nothing more harmful than a pebble. No one could understand where ShinRa had come up with the technology and the design.

The situation escalated from bad to worse as ShinRa soldiers streamed around them, attacking as well. The mass of enemies had attacked them unexpectedly, destroying the house they were staying in and forcing them to abandon it. Predictably, Barret suspected a spy was involved, and at this point, Cloud was more than inclined to agree.

Now, everyone stood outside, backs to the burning debris of their shelter, grimacing at their fate as they faced down scores of soldiers and a metallic monster hell bent on ripping them to pieces. No one had any inclination that ShinRa knew where they were or what was going on, and since Reeve wasn't in contact with the mega corporation anymore, it left much for debate.

"What the #$&!!"

Cloud shifted his eyes to the right, easily recognizing the sound of Cid's cursing. He caught sight of both the pilot and Vincent skidding to a stop at the sight of the scene before them, the Captain gaping in surprise. Evidently they had heard the explosion and came running from wherever it was they had disappeared. It was strange that they were together; Cloud hadn't thought they were that close.

Bullets nipped the ground at his feet, and Cloud leapt to the side, even as he threw out a Fire2 at the soldiers attacking him from behind. Barret appeared out of nowhere, standing back to back with him as he returned fire with the sneaky soldiers. Gripping his sword more firmly, the blond turned to face the monster, again sweeping the battlefield with a calculating eye. Immediately, his blade came up, blocking a razored arm that had been directed at his head, and the two metals struck with a resounding clack. He quickly retracted and slashed down, actually managing to bend the arm with the force of his blow but not cutting. The arm withdrew, and he heaved a sigh of relief as Cid and Vincent joined in the battle.

"What the hell is going on, Spike?" the pilot demanded, cigarette already bouncing from his lips. He pulled out his Trident, spinning the object between his fingers as he readied for battle. Beside him, Vincent already had out his Silver Rifle, calmly and effortlessly taking out any soldier that ventured too near.

Cloud shook his head in response. "I don't know. It came out of nowhere."

Rapid gunfire from the huge monster forced them to dive in opposite directions to avoid the spray. Cloud easily rolled to the side, quickly springing to his feet as he tried to keep an eye on those under his command. Before he could even catch a glimpse, another peppering of bullets had him rolling on the ground, even as he heard the sound of Yuffie's shuriken striking against the monster, only to bounce away harmlessly.

"It's not going down!" the ninja exclaimed over the din of the battle. She sounded out of breath and annoyed. "I can't even get through its armor!"

"It is susceptible to nothing," the fire-lion called out, the yellow glow of a cast Sense leaving his body. "With that much power, the thing is nearly unstoppable," Nanaki explained, claws skidding across the rocky ground as he swiftly dodged two flailing arms. In retaliation, he sent another Bolt2, the lightning arcing across the metal and doing very little damage.

The blond leapt to his feet, coming face to face with two weaker soldiers. He quickly bashed them down, neither having an opportunity to call out as they died. He tried to ignore the blood staining the ground and his weapon as he turned back towards the main battle.

Reeve sprang into view, tossing his knives at a few soldiers with deadly accuracy. It appeared that he had no qualms about returning fire at those who might have once been his allies, and Cloud entertained the belief that Reeve was truly on his side. He didn't seem like a bad guy, just someone caught up in the shit of ShinRa like everyone else. Truthfully, half of their party once had belonged in ShinRa.

"_Greased Lightning!_" Yuffie released her limit break, raining power on the creature, but it still seemed unaffected, pushing forward with determination. At her side, Nanaki growled, his body slowly beginning to take on the hue of his own limit break.

Bullets from both side raced across the battlefield, the large boom of Barret's Rocket Punch and the steady drone of Vincent's Silver Rifle more comforting than the high-pitched rapid fire of the soldier's automatic weapons.

"Everyone get back!" Cid ordered suddenly. The pilot had a plan… or an inkling of one. Either way, it was sure to be dangerous and crazy.

Immediately, all members of their party pulled back as well as they could, gathering towards the middle of the battlefield nearly back to back. But it wasn't until then that Cloud even realized that someone might be missing. Yet, before he could count heads or take another look around, Cid pulled out a stick of dynamite and lit it on his cigarette. The dynamite hissed and spat as fire raced along the wick to reach the explosive center. The pilot quickly threw it at the horde of soldiers, even as he pulled out another to toss at the monster. A smirk crossed his features as duel explosions rocked the area, bright orange and red flame racing up into a true blaze.

Cries of pain rose up as the sound of the automatic weapons firing disappeared. When Cloud's vision cleared, he was able to see that the ShinRa soldiers had been defeated, lying on the ground, either unconscious or dead. Unfortunately, the metal beast was still going strong.

Beside him, Vincent shook his head, idly eyeing his weapon's cache of ammo, beginning to run low. "We do not have the capacity to defeat that."

"I think vampy's right," Barret growled, his face grim as he laid a covering fire down, hoping to distract the creature setting its robotic sights on their group. Vincent shot him a poisonous look but didn't bother to respond.

"So what? We should just run?" Yuffie asked incredulously, wincing as she pulled on her scar. She absolutely hated the idea of having to run away for any reason. It felt cowardly, even when faced with the machine in front of her.

Before Cloud could respond, however, the unnamed monster roared, and a giant revolving gun appeared out of an opening in its shoulder. There was a sudden click. A sudden feeling of dread descended upon him.

Mako blue eyes widened. "Running is good," he stated with a nod as the Nail Bat was quickly placed in its sheath. His gaze darted to the side, catching a new path that led deeper into the mountains. With any luck, they could lose ShinRa in Coral Valley. Without another thought, he dashed towards the path, hoping that the others were smart enough to follow him.

His booted feet pounded across the ground, scrabbling for purchase in the loose grit and rocks. He could hear the others behind him and dared a look over his shoulder. It was at that moment that bullets began to fly around them, whizzing beyond their shoulders. He nearly tripped on a rock in the path but regained his balance.

As they ran, he could only hope that they would make it.

---

"It appears our quarry has escaped," Rude remarked in a dry tone, a slight frown on his face. He sighed, pulling his communications device from his pocket and pressing a button to send out the call. He gazed over the battlefield as he waited for his partner to pick up, noting that most of the ground troops had been defeated. That was not surprising.

Why ShinRa was bothered to care about the fate of Cloud and his merry gang of heroes Rude didn't understand. It wasn't as if they were focusing their attention on destroying ShinRa anymore, instead trying to save the world. Was that so bad?

Bah. It wasn't his job to consider such things anyway. He was a paid to kill, to hunt, and to destroy… thinking was not in the job description.

"Dude, Rude, ShinRa got their ass kicked, yo." Typical of Reno, not even a hello when he answered his phone, just straight to the point. Even when Tseng called he couldn't be bothered with honorifics.

Rude grimaced. "It doesn't count if we were ordered to do so," he replied, eyes flickering over the battlefield. The unconscious bodies of their grunts littered the ground. Most were probably dead, the unfortunate bastards, but such was life working for a ruthless and unforgiving company like ShinRa. The pay sucked, the hours were even worse, but there was little better work they could do.

The moment AVALANCHE fled, Rude had ordered the immediate shut down of the Scorpios I. Its presence was no longer necessary. They had only brought the machine on the order of Heidegger. The Scorpios was designed to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of its opponent, so that it would quickly destroy them the next time they were encountered.

Attacking AVALANCHE in the City of the Ancients had served two purposes, testing the Scorpios I and retrieving their "comrade." After receiving the phone call about Reeve not only betraying ShinRa but also joining Cloud and the rest of his merry band of idiots, Rufus' first orders were to bring in the Turks. Perhaps the bastard actually cared for his whore in some sick, sadistic fashion, but Rude grimaced at that thought. He preferred not to think about that.

All in all, the Turks, who had stayed out of the battle, hated being ordered to lose. It gave off the wrong image and had AVALANCHE believing that they were weak. But in Rufus' mind, it was all part of the big picture. Lead the idiots into thinking they had the advantage, lull them into a state of complacency, then pounce when the time was right, effectively crushing their enemies into dust. Rufus was sadistic, he was cruel, but he was also undeniably brilliant.

Reno scoffed in his ear, causing Rude's inner thoughts to crash. "Semantics, yo," he commented blithely before his voice suddenly dropped, words implying more than what they claimed. "Was the traitor there?"

Rude considered the battle. An amber-eyed man, once a member of the ShinRa executive board, was now on the run for his life. He grunted in response to Reno's query.

"_Let him live a while longer_," Rufus had cackled. "_Let him taste his freedom before we take it from him._"

Reno exhaled loudly. The red-haired Turk had been situated on the opposite side of the battlefield, his task being to retrieve their "comrade." Rude could only assume, judging by the whining and cursing he could hear in the background, that his partner had been successful. Honestly, he hated the bitch, but a job was a job. He hated Rufus as well, but he didn't dare speak it aloud.

Truthfully, it was the same for Reno, Elena most likely also. Their duty and loyalty was to the Turks first, ShinRa second. If Tseng ever decided to take over the company or truly rebel, Rufus ShinRa was in for it. Perhaps that was the reasoning behind their limited forces lately. The Turks were a far cry now from what they had been.

"I'm not sure how much longer I can do this, yo," Reno said quietly into the phone. Boots crunched over dirt and rocks, and Rude could only assume that he was stepping away from their "comrade", seeking privacy for the call.

Rude resisted the urge to sigh, adjusting the sunglasses on his nose with a leather-gloved finger. He wandered over the read-out from the Scorpios I, idly eyeing the information it presented.

"Are you going to leave the Turks?"

Reno didn't answer, surprisingly silent for once, and Rude knew that he was thinking it over. The Turks were all the family Reno had, other than his lover. And in some ways, the redhead hadn't yet made up his mind. He thought that by remaining in ShinRa, he was doing some good, protecting what mattered the most.

Reeve hadn't been the only spy.

"Stop thinking," Rude intoned, moving on in the conversation. "Do your job." The rest went unspoken.

The younger Turk snorted. "Thanks ever so much for the advice," he responded snarkily. "I don't know-- Would you shut the fuck up?" Rude could only assume the last was not directed to him, especially as a shrill, annoying voice rose up in the background, obviously their "comrade." He resisted the urge to make a disgusted face. That was one bitch he loathed, and normally, Rude was respectful to all women. However, she and Scarlet were at the top of his "If I hit women, I would hit her" list.

Never mind that he once had a crush on the woman. She was beautiful, and her _assets_ were there to be admired. Yet, he had never wanted to keep her. No, there was someone else in his heart that he desired. Their "comrade" was too loud, too boastful, and too voracious for him. Was it too odd that his tastes now ran towards brunette scientists with a quick wit?

"Damn, they don't pay me enough for this shit!" Reno curse echoed through the phone as he and that woman continued to bicker back and forth. Rude couldn't quite understand what she was demanding but wouldn't be surprised if she was coming on Reno. The woman was a whore, plain and simple.

Rude resisted the urge to chuckle. It simply wasn't in his character, and instead, he idly scanned the battlefield again, once more adjusting his sunglasses. It was past time for them to be on their way. AVALANCHE was running free in Coral Valley. Heidegger and Scarlet wanted their research. Rufus wanted his… whatever the hell that woman was. And Rude and his partner could definitely use a drink.

"Let's get the fuck out of here, yo," Reno insisted over the phone. "I'm buying."

The corner of his mouth curved up in reminiscent of a smile. "You got it, boss." And with that, his phone was shut with a tiny snap.

---

Their hurried flight took them straight into the confusing labyrinth just beyond the city. ShinRa didn't give chase, not that there were many of them left to do so, and the metal beast couldn't fit between the walls of the canyon. Or perhaps they had been allowed to escape. Cloud couldn't be sure, but twenty minutes into their escape, he didn't think they needed to run anymore.

He slowed his steps, bringing everyone to a halt. "I think we lost them," he said, huffing from the exertion of their mad dash for safety. The sound of the automatic fire from the metal monstrosity still rang in his ears.

Yuffie collapsed on the ground tiredly, proclaiming how glad she was and fussing about how she was made to run. She hated running from any battle, no matter how outnumbered she was. However, Cloud easily tuned her out, well accustomed to ignoring the annoying ninja.

Reeve leaned tiredly against a nearby boulder, shoulders heaving with the exertion. Despite his skill in knife throwing, he really wasn't that athletic. It had been a long time since he had been forced to run this way. Even his escape from ShinRa had involved planning in advance with an arrangement for a helicopter to take him to Junon where he hitched a ride to Costa del Sol on a ship. From there, Reeve had hired another helicopter to take him to Gongaga. If he hadn't realized early on that ShinRa was already on to him, there was a good chance he would already be dead.

"What the hell was that thing?" Cid demanded angrily as he plopped to the ground. The pilot promptly pulled out a cigarette and lit it, puffing away. Surprisingly, considering the way he smoked, he wasn't out of breath, merely aggravated with what had occurred.

Barret was the first to offer up his opinion, perfectly willing to point the finger. "ShinRa! Had ta be!" He growled, stomping about in an odd sort of pacing. He was too keyed up to even think settling down.

"Like there is anyone else it could be." Yuffie snorted in derision, obviously not buying it. She was already regaining her energy, twirling a throwing dart in her fingers.

"Perhaps," Nanaki commented from where he had all but collapsed on the ground; a trickle of blood leaked from a cut on his shoulder. He opened his mouth to continue when Barret rudely interrupted him.

The dark-skinned man glanced around worriedly, sudden shock taking over his features. "Where's Tifa?" He could not see his best friend anywhere, and now that he thought about it, he could not remember her in the battle either. An eerie chill raced up his spine at what could have happened.

"She's not here?" Cloud questioned. His gaze traveled over the faces of his friends, and not seeing Tifa among them, he blanched. How could he have not noticed that she was missing? How could he have not realized she wasn't present during the fight?

With all the bullets and the razor-sharp arms, coupled with trying to just stay _alive_… dammit! He was leader! He should have been more observant.

"Damn, damn, damn!!!" Barret cursed, storming about the small clearing and going in no particular direction. "I will bet my gil that ShinRa has her now!"

Yuffie's forehead pinched in confusion. "But what would ShinRa want with Tifa?" she asked, wondering if they really believed she was Cloud's girlfriend or something equally impossible. They would have not reason to take her otherwise. Tifa wasn't at all the strongest of them either.

Reeve shrugged from his position perched on a low, flat-lying rock. "I don't know. She's really not that important in the grand scheme of things." He kept his gaze on the ground, as if unable to meet their eyes.

"How did ShinRa know where we were?" Vincent questioned quietly, momentarily distracting the ever-suspicious Barret. The gunman was standing a little ways off from the group, bringing up the rear and managing to look completely composed, despite the fact that he had just been running for his life away from ShinRa. He didn't even appear to be out of breath.

"That's a good question," Barret muttered, eyes swiveling towards Reeve. "Any idea how to answer that, ShinRa boy?"

"You leave Reeve alone!!" Yuffie huffed angrily, rising to her feet and stepping in front of her friend, one of the few in the group that actually seemed to like her. A shuriken rose, and she fixed the suspicious man with an irritated glare. Reeve wasn't _that_ bad of a guy all things considered. After all, he wasn't the one that blew up a damn city and murdered thousands in the process to "save the planet."

"Yeah! I doubt the fool would make the same damn mistake twice," Cid added in for good measure. He was damn tired of everyone accusing everyone else of being a spy. Sure, Reeve had fucked up once, but no one understood the circumstances. They hadn't bothered to ask, and Cid surely was not going to condemn a man for something he didn't understand. For all he knew, ShinRa could have held something over the man's head… like his family. The corporation was known for doing much worse, so the blond wouldn't put it past them.

The former executive shook his head, still unable to lift his eyes from the ground. He understood their suspicions, and there was little he could do about it.

"I am not a spy," he murmured quietly, "not anymore. They tried to kill me. They threatened to kill him…" he whispered more to himself than to the group, but Yuffie's sensitive ninja hearing, or so she would later claim, and Vincent's enhanced senses picked it up. Both watched him mutely, quietly considering the significance of his words.

"So you say." Barret sneered in reply, flexing his metal arm once more. "But I think you are just duping us again." The loss of Tifa seemed to break any restraint he may have had. He advanced on the ex-executive, intent on beating the information out of him, and Reeve's head snapped at the sound of his approaching footsteps. He had little moderation left within him, especially at the sight of the man that had threatened the safety of his daughter and betrayed them.

But there was a hand on his arm, restraining him. It was quite strong, too, completely halting his movements. His rage burned brighter as Barret flicked confused eyes towards the idiot who would dare stop him. It only pissed him off further when he realized that the hand belonged to Vincent, number two on his distrust list.

"Reeve is not the enemy here," Vincent said warningly. He had been the closest to Barret at the time and had grabbed him, even before Cloud had the chance to move. He surprised himself with his actions, wondering why he even bothered defending Reeve in the first place. Perhaps it was that brief moment of kinship he had felt back in Gold Saucer when Cait Sith had first betrayed them, or maybe it was simply because Barret irritated him. Either way, he had stopped the idiot and now was faced with the man's ire.

"Is dat so?" Barret asked, jerking his arm away. "Then mebbe I should be looking at you?" The slight twitch of his gun-arm at his side was about as subtle as a bat to the head.

Vincent narrowed his crimson eyes and opened his mouth to speak, but Cid beat him to it. "I already told ya once, jackass. Vince ain't no spy!!" Tension rose in waves around them, a fight brewing and threatening to overspill into an outright brawl.

"Enough!!" Cloud yelled, his voice easily interrupting the dispute before it could escalate further. He fixed his companions with his most ruthless and leader-like glare, hoping to force them into silence. "Or there won't be anything left of us for ShinRa to fight!!" he spat angrily.

Six pairs of eyes turned towards their leader. Barret had the decency to look embarrassed, though perhaps that was more due to the fact that he had been scolded by someone younger than him. Yuffie was slightly awed by their leader's outburst, while Cid merely sucked on a cigarette. Vincent chose to sniff disdainfully as he took the smallest of steps away from the volatile Barret, as if disgusted by their nearness.

"I don't want to think that anybody is a spy," Cloud explained, managing to lower his voice as he ran an aggravated hand through his hair. "If we are going to do this, we have to trust each other. What good is it to argue?"

Barret harrumphed but stepped away from the two ex-ShinRa employees and crossed his arms. In turn, the former Turk moved to the outer edges of the tiny circle, eyes narrowed in deep thought. Reeve merely scooted closer to Yuffie and began looking over her other wounds.

"I don't know how ShinRa found us, and I'm not about to start questioning everybody. As far as we know, ShinRa has Tifa and Sephiroth is heading for the Promised Land," Cloud went on easily, slipping into his role as leader and trying to regain control of the situation. They may have fled the battle, but AVALANCHE was far from beaten. "We can't go after both." His last words rang across the small clearing they rested in, his meaning obvious.

Silence fell as they contemplated his words. It was a difficult choice to make: to save one of their comrades or to save the planet from their greatest foe.

Nanaki was the first to speak, tail swishing across the ground. "They won't… hurt her, will they?"

Reeve shook his head before exhaling slowly. "If anything, they are using her as bait," he replied quietly. "They have no reason to kill her yet, especially if they think that you will come to save her."

"Rufus wants us to stop going after Sephiroth and rescue her instead. It is an obvious trap," Vincent mused aloud, his fingers running over the edge of his cloak. He agreed with Reeve, finding it painfully easy to see through ShinRa's plans. Had their abilities fallen so far in such a short time? He remembered when they had been much, much more devious.

"So what then? We gonna leave her in their hands?" Barret asked incredulously, jaw nearly agape.

Nanaki shook his head. "It appears we don't have a choice. If she is not going to come under any harm, then we have a responsibility to this planet. We cannot allow the fate of the world to rely on ShinRa because, assuredly, that is his long-range plan. No matter what we decide, Rufus is determined to get to Sephiroth."

"We can't let him get there first. Let ShinRa have the Promised Land? I don't think so!" Yuffie all but shouted, also rising. "All that materia…" she added a bit mournfully, her eyes sparkled at the thought of shining balls of magic dancing about her head. Her vote was obvious.

"We've gotta take that &$ out now!" Cid exclaimed, the sound of a lighter flick accompanying his words. "For Aeris if nothing else." It was probably his statement that affected them the most, reminding the companions of their lost member and her fate.

Mako eyes traced over his group. "Then it is decided; we are all in agreement?" Cloud asked as he looked to them expectantly. He was not about to make the decision on his own, leader or not. He wasn't a dictator.

"I'm not!" Barret spluttered, looking at everyone else in horror. "What about Tifa?" She was his best friend! He refused to leave her in the hands of ShinRa. It would be like suffering through Dyne all over again. He had failed his friend then; he refused to fail another.

Cloud shook his head, eyes softening at Barret's obvious confusion. "The fate of the planet is more important," he said softly. He walked up to his friend and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, but you know she would have wanted it that way."

The older man sighed and brushed off Cloud's touch, unaccustomed to such displays. "Tch. I hate that yer right. There ain't no other way?"

A moment of silence fell over the group. They seemed to shift amongst themselves, unnerved by the choice that they were faced with. Both Cloud and Barret had a point. Yet, no one really wanted to abandon one of their own. It seemed cheap and wrong, something that ShinRa would do. Finally, after the quiet moment stretched into an uncomfortable amount of time, Nanaki was the first to speak.

"We could always split up," the lion-wolf suggested slowly but wisely, all the while realizing that it was futile. The idea had been more for Barret's sake.

Cloud shook his head. "And divide our strength? Who's to say we can defeat either foe on our own? What if one of us fails, and then that half is gone? No, it is best if we remain together. At least then, your fate will be obvious."

"So that is that then? We are going to the 'Promised Land'?" Reeve inquired quietly.

"Yes," the ex-SOLDIER answered. He turned towards the path, mako eyes casting off in the direction they had already been heading. The rocky and winding path looked none too inviting, but he knew it was the road for them to take. "And, according to Sephiroth, we are already on the right path." No one questioned how he knew or why he spoke as if Sephiroth was standing right next to him.

"Then what are we waiting for? The faster we defeat the bastard, the faster we can save Tifa," Barret demanded, fixing everyone with his most fierce stare. It did not make anyone move any faster, but it was a good try.

Cloud bit his lip to hold back his laughter before gesturing with a thumb towards the pilot and the former executive. "Cid, Reeve, you two with me. The rest of you know what to do."

Nothing more was said as the group split apart. Cid, Reeve, and Cloud took off first, clearing the way and marking a path. The rest were to follow after a few minutes, securing the trail behind to make sure they weren't back attacked. It wasn't logical for them to travel in such large groups, and so far, the strategy had worked.

Thirty minutes later, the remaining four followed after the front guard along the marked trail. Barret led the way, Yuffie watching his back. Vincent and Nanaki brought up the rear with the gunman preferring to trust his instincts and sharper eyes rather than anyone else's'. It wouldn't have surprised him in the least if ShinRa surprised them with a sneak attack.

At first, they all traveled in silence. No one was really interested in speaking to one another, but that was until Nanaki began to slow down, sniffing the wind cautiously. This caught Vincent's attention, but he didn't speak until the lion-wolf ceased his movements altogether, pausing to survey the area. Ahead of them, Barret and Yuffie continued on, none the wiser to.

The gunman drew to a halt, instantly on alert and trusting Nanaki's keener senses. "What is it?" he asked, tensing slightly. He also began to surreptitiously scan their surrounding, searching for any signs of anger. He detected nothing, however.

Nanaki did not answer, instead watching as Barret and Yuffie got farther away. When he was satisfied with their distance, he began walking again, albeit at a much slower pace. He didn't explain his actions, causing the gunman to grunt with irritation.

"Well?" Vincent pressed as he moved to walk at the fire-lion's side.

Nanaki tilted his head, peering up at his human companion. "It was nothing," he answered. "I merely wanted to keep this conversation relatively quiet. Barret is foul enough as it is. No need to tug the tail of the bear."

"Conversation?" Vincent queried, raising one eyebrow. He was intrigued. He and Nanaki weren't particularly close, not that he was really close with any of the others, but still, why would the lion-wolf want to speak to him in particular?

Nanaki nodded. "Yes. I wanted to speak to you without the others."

The gunman frowned slightly. "About?"

"Not quite as bad as you might think," he assured, "but I have noticed some things. I am not entirely naïve, you know. The pilot and you seem to have become fast friends, or so it was anyways." Ahead of them Barret and Yuffie had begun to argue, ignoring the people behind them.

Vincent allowed himself the smallest of smiles, more one of sarcasm than amusement. "Being forced to room together does seem to have that effect on a person."

Nanaki shook his head. "I do not think that it is entirely the case." He paused as he considered his next words. "What happened the night of the earthquake?"

The ex-Turk was surprised, mostly because it seemed to have no relevance to anything else. "Why that night in particular? What do you know?" he asked, a scowl forming on his face.

Nanaki's gaze shifted to the path in front of them. "Nothing, save that as far as I know, everyone was sleeping until the earthquake struck," he said slowly, his shoulders doing something that might have been considered a shrug. "I asked everyone else, and until now, I didn't really think to ask you two."

"Why now?" Vincent mused aloud. "Have I missed something?"

"No." A slight chuckle escaped from Nanaki's mouth. "Are you going to answer my question?"

"Tch." Vincent snapped his mouth shut, concentrating on the path in front of him. He was not about to discuss that night with Nanaki. It was a matter between Cid and he, nothing more and nothing less. He didn't want the others prying into their affairs.

But that unnervingly penetrating gleam returned to Nanaki's eyes as he studied the human once more. "I will take that as a no."

"It is none of your business," the ex-Turk all but growled.

"I see," the fire-wolf responded, saying nothing more and instead choosing to concentrate on the path in front of him. It had become a battle of the wits, seeing who could get the most out of the other without revealing too much in turn.

Curiosity ate at Vincent, along with a desire to understand why Nanaki was so interested. He understood that the lion-wolf held more sensibilities than the rest of the group, and with Aeris gone, he was their only link to the more supernatural aspects of whatever was occurring on Gaia. Perhaps there was something he needed to know.

Finally, he broke the silence. "What is it about the earthquake that has you interested?"

The fire-lion fought the urge to smile. "Are you going to tell me what happened that night?"

He sighed inwardly, knowing he would probably have to concede that much to get his questions answered. A tit for tat was only fair, after all. The small loss of his privacy to someone he was certain could keep a secret was not too much to lose, especially if he guaranteed that the fire-lion would not repeat his words.

"Depends on what you have to offer me," Vincent countered lowly. "I don't make a habit of telling my affairs without good reason."

Nanaki dipped his head. "Fair enough." He cleared his throat. "Something has shifted, but I am not sure what yet. Still, I can I tell you that earthquakes have never occurred in that region before," he finished, gazing at the gunman intently.

"And you think this has something to do with me?" Vincent asked with complete surprise. It made very little sense to him. Hadn't he already had enough troubles in his life?

He was nothing more than a man, albeit a tortured and scientifically altered human, but he was a man, nonetheless. Heroic deeds were beyond him. He didn't have the qualities within him to do anything world-changing.

"I didn't say that," Nanaki responded. He looked at the human expectantly, waiting for his due. "Answer my question, please."

"Very well." Vincent exhaled, rolling the words in his mind. He tried to word it so that he explained without truly giving anything away. "Nothing out of the ordinary, I should think, considering this day and time. Cid was having a nightmare, which pulled me out of sleep. I shook him awake, and in his half delirious state, he kissed me. In shock, I pulled away and retreated to my side of the tent. We both decided to never speak of it again."

"It was mutual?" Nanaki inquired gently.

Vincent nodded. "Yes."

The lion-wolf contemplated him for a moment before glancing back to the trail. "Hm." His tail twitched behind him.

Vincent was not all pleased with Nanaki's response. In fact, it irritated him.

"Why are you suddenly interested in me, Nanaki?" he questioned, not liking where this was going. "We have tolerated each other, but I would not say that we are friends."

The fire-lion contemplated the question. "It is a dangerous fight that we have all undertaken. It would not do for all of us to be fighting as we are."

Crimson eyes narrowed. "That is not a proper response."

"But it is what I am telling you," he stated sharply. Unperturbed by Vincent's expression, Nanaki swiveled his lupine head up to meet Vincent glare for glare. "How can we fight together if we all stand apart?"

Vincent snorted and crossed his arms. "The blame is not mine. I never started any of it."

"I don't agree with that statement," the fire-lion countered. "You and a certain pilot have been on edge with each other for quite some time now."

It took all of his control not to gape in surprise. It became clear in that moment exactly what Nanaki had been leaning towards the entire time. Did he think himself Cid's knight? What exactly did the lion-wolf know? And why choose now of all moments to bring up the topic?

Vincent raised a surprised eyebrow. "You are rather observant," he commented casually.

Nanaki bowed his head, something similar to a grin appearing on his features. "I'd like to think so."

Vincent frowned. "You still know nothing," he stated derisively.

Golden eyes narrowed this time, even the fire-lion was becoming slightly irked by their discussion. "I know enough, and I suspect much," he responded, a biting edge to his voice. He flicked his tail.

Vincent scowled. "Believe what you will. I do not care."

"Just remember what I say, Vincent Valentine," Nanaki stated fiercely, stopping in the middle of the trail. "You are not as indestructible as you think nor are events as black and white. Pride defeated you the first time; do not let it be your downfall again," the lion-wolf murmured, his fiery eyes looking to Vincent meaningfully.

The human bristled. "Just what are you saying?" he questioned icily. "You know _nothing_ about me."

Nanaki responded with an even gaze. "I'm beginning to think that you are the only one who knows nothing. I am certain you will understand soon enough." With that, he turned his eyes forward. "Barret and Yuffie are waiting for us." He bound forward to catch up to their companions, leaving a somewhat shocked Vincent behind him.

Nanaki's enigmatic words cleared up nothing, only serving to cause the gunman to bristle with indignation. He didn't believe that Nanaki was being purposefully insightful, but he was pretty damn close. The fire-wolf knew something that he didn't. Vincent was sure of it. But most of all, as he forced his body to move forward and catch with their companions, one questioned weighed heavily on his mind.

Just what did Nanaki know?

-----

Thanks for reading! Please leave a review and let me know how it's going!


	8. Strained Associations

**Thanks everyone for reading! **

**Chapter Eight: Strained Associations**

Cid Highwind discovered that he hated the snow, not in any general terms either. He absolutely abhorred it. The snow was cold and wet and stuck to anything it touched. Somehow, it managed to flit its icy way through any layer of clothing that he wore, making him shiver uncontrollably, and he couldn't breathe with the air so damn cold.

The further north they trekked, the heavier it fell, blanketing everything in boring layers. He had taken to wearing his goggles to block out some of the glare, up until the point they froze to his face. After Cloud and Reeve had painstakingly worked to remove the things from his skin, he suffered with the blinding, rather than risk having goggle-face again.

Shivering visibly, the grumpy pilot complained loudly to them. "I hate the fucking snow."

An exhausted and slightly annoyed sigh was his first response. "We know, Cid; you have already told us several times," Reeve said wearily. The executive wasn't faring much better, but he kept his complaints to himself. He wasn't used to such exertions, but he dealt with it, knowing that making a fuss would get him nowhere. His own steps lagged as they sagged in the thick snow, and he could hardly feel his toes. However, he kept his mouth shut. If only Cid could learn from his example.

"Look," Cloud went on with great irritation, gesturing ahead of them. "See those lights ahead of us? It's a town! We can find shelter there."

But his words were ignored as the pilot blustered on, "I can't even see the others behind us. Don't ya think that we should? I mean there ain't nothing out there but flat snow!!" Cid added in for good measure.

The ex-SOLDIER exhaled noisily. "They're fine," he insisted, resisting the urge to lop off Cid's head with his sword. "I'm trusting that Nanaki will keep everyone in line."

Cid mumbled something under his breath about overgrown cats with know-it-all complexes but didn't say anything else. He again hunched over, trying to block out the biting wind. Reeve was having the same trouble, shivering continuously and looking at the white land with dread. None of their party was really dressed for winter weather, and the pilot didn't understand why Cloud seemed so at ease. He was wearing less than any of them! He couldn't even imagine what Yuffie was going through.

The Captain glared miserably at the utter whiteness around him. Did he forget to mention how much he hated the snow?

He bowed down his head against the raging wind and trudged forward, following Cloud's tracks in the snow. He swore to all things sacred that if those damn bouncing bunnies attacked again, he was going to skin them and use their pelts for a blanket.

"Shit," Cloud cursed quietly, interrupting the pilot's thoughts.

With a questioning glance, Cid looked up and was surprised to find that they had arrived at the town sooner than expected. It wasn't much of a place; he could only see five or six buildings, but there could have been more behind all the &$ trees. He recognized a few important establishments: the inn, weapons shop, items shop, but all in all, it didn't look very entertaining. Of course, everything was covered in snow.

"Icicle Inn," Reeve said, glancing at the sign. He attempted to smile, only to discover his lips were frozen in place.

Cloud groaned as he looked around, noting several snowboarders. "A tourist town." The blond abhorred tourist towns. More often than not, the service was shitty, rates were higher than necessary, and everything was sold out. It would be hell trying to restock. His only consolation was that no one tended to ask unnecessary questions.

"So?" the pilot asked incredulously. "Who the hell cares? Let's just find somewhere to get warm!"

Cid pushed past the two and moved quickly towards the first building he saw, not bothering to check and see what it was. He vaguely registered a sign with a sword on it but couldn't be sure. He just wanted to be inside where it was warm. Reeve and Cloud exchanged a glance. It wasn't unusual for Cid to be gruff but he seemed, even grumpier than was normal.

"Gotten rather irritating, hasn't he?" Reeve remarked, finally managing to regain some movement in his facial muscles. He shook out his shoulders, stretching the cramped muscles from the long trek across the icy wasteland. The monsters were a bitch and the snow incredibly deep. While he sympathized with the pilot's complaints, he had more pride than to actually whine aloud.

Cloud slid his sword into its sheath since there was no need for him to haul it around now that they were in the relative safety of the town. "That man is as changeable in his moods as of a pregnant woman. And twice as volatile," he added.

"Though not quite as dangerous." Reeve grinned, clearly amused. He glanced at Cloud, who caught his look. The two burst into laughter at the idea of a pregnant Cid.

When the laughter died, Cloud turned to regard his companion with a serious look, instantly sobering up the former executive. "I don't get it," he commented, eyeing Reeve. "You don't seem vicious enough to work for a company like ShinRa. Why did you spy and betray us?"

Reeve winced at the reminder of his misdeeds and ducked his head. He knew that it would come up eventually and had just been waiting for the moment.

"They threatened someone important to me." He left it at that, hoping that Cloud wouldn't push for names.

"What?" Cloud questioned, very surprised. "Your wife?"

"Something like that," the former executive responded, hedging his way around the query. He had the feeling if he revealed his significant other, they would have an even lower opinion of him then they did already.

Cloud tilted his head in thought. "What the hell were you doing working for ShinRa, anyways?"

Reeve pushed his hands further into his coat pocket as he lifted his head to regard the overcast sky. "I'm surprised that more people aren't aware of my exact purpose in the company. I was Head of the Urban Development Department."

The blond raised a brow. "What exactly does that entail?"

"I originally designed Midgar, but I certainly never intended for it to become what it has. ShinRa has this uncanny ability of twisting everything to suit its own purposes." He sighed. "It was supposed to be a haven, a place for the common man. I only stayed with ShinRa because I hoped that I could do some good, salvage what was left of my dreams."

Cloud scowled. "Fuckin' ShinRa. They excel in crushing dreams." He was slightly surprised, however, to hear that the man standing in front of him had designed the city. He expected it to be someone more corrupt and evil.

Reeve made a noncommittal noise in his throat. "Even now, I can't say why I decided to turn my back on them in the end, save that I trust my companion can handle his own safety. I was already in a helicopter on my way out of Midgar when I offered to do the puzzles in the Temple of the Ancients. I knew it was only a matter of time before ShinRa issued the order for my arrest. They didn't disappoint."

"Do you know anything about their well-being?" Cloud asked. He had caught the slip when Reeve said "he" but didn't comment on it. Whoever Reeve was concealing was obviously someone that meant a lot to him. Besides, the swordsman wasn't about to start speculation. For all he knew, Reeve could have meant a brother, father, cousin, a _son_ perhaps, or even a best friend. They knew next to nothing about his personal life.

The other man shook his head. "I can only hope that ShinRa considered my job already done when I betrayed them and aren't going to try anything. Next to everything else that's going on, my imprisonment is low on their priority list. I don't know if I should count that as a blessing or take it as an affront." The tips of his mouth quirked

Cloud shrugged, gaze falling on the door that Cid had disappeared into, his mind already contemplating the warmth within. "Considering our position, it's a blessing. We don't need anymore confrontations with ShinRa."

Reeve nodded before falling silent. He was contemplating something, hedging on his next words. He didn't know if it was too early or if it would even be accepted, but he wanted Cloud to know and for the rest of them to understand. He shifted uncomfortably in the snow, shivering slightly when wet flakes dribbled inside his collar.

"Cloud--"

But he was cut off before he could even speak, as if the blond already knew what he was going to say. "Shall we follow the Captain then?" Cloud questioned, his gaze meeting Reeve's.

The former executive was speechless for a moment, his mouth slowly closing as he nodded. "Sure, I'm not about to freeze to death out here, not while Highwind is all warm and cozy inside," Reeve remarked, running a hand through his frost-covered beard.

Shrugging, Cloud walked towards the building, his companion close on his heels. A single, rather irritating chime announced their presence as the two entered, and almost immediately, they recognized it as a weapons shop. Who could mistake the swords that lined the walls?

Pleasant incense wafted to their noses as warmth from the fire heated their bodies. All in all it was almost like holiday cheer, despite the circumstances, but a loud and gruff voice rose above the instrumental music playing in the background, shattering the atmosphere and immediately drawing their attentions to the counter. Twin grins appeared on their faces even as the former executive shook his head.

"What the hell? 26,000? That's fuckin' ridiculous!" Cid was yelling at the man behind the counter, obviously arguing over the price of a shining, new spear that was sitting between them. It was a beautiful weapon, vaguely resembling a hand-axe attached to a large spear, but nevertheless, it did not seem worth the price that the pilot was sputtering over.

The weapons owner shook his head as he puffed slightly on a pipe dangling from his lips. "I'm sorry, but that is the price. I will go no lower," the balding, heavyset man responded.

Reeve and Cloud surveyed at the situation for a moment before the ex-executive elbowed the blond in the side and pointed at a sign on the wall. It was bright and boldly lettered, easily proclaiming the policy of the shop. Cloud snickered when he realized what it said. Cid was never going to live _that_ down, not if he had anything to say about it. A strange amusement washed over the two, overriding their irritation of earlier.

"&$!!!" The pilot cursed, turning on his heels and storming past the two men. "Fucking tourist town jacking up the price on every #$ fucking $#$ thing!!" His boots clomped loudly on the wooden floor, dislodging caked snow with every step. He was red with annoyance, but at least, he wasn't so pale anymore.

"What's the matter, Cid? Don't have enough?" Cloud teased before the older blond could get out the door.

Cid paused to throw a heated glare over his shoulder as his hand tightened on the metal door knob. "Shut up, you spiky-haired $&#!!" the pilot growled as he threw open the door and stormed outside. It slammed shut behind him with enough force to rattle the weapons on display on the walls.

Reeve and Cloud shared another series of chuckles, even as they followed the enraged man out of the store, albeit at a much more sedate pace. They would come back later to get what they needed. The weapons seller didn't seem perturbed by any of his customer's strange behavior. He merely sat back on his stool, puffing his pipe as he contemplated the many mysteries of the universe.

"Honestly, Cid, I would have lent you the money," Reeve joked as he came out the door, sniggering behind his hand. "Oof!" He promptly ran into the pilot's back.

Cid had stopped just outside the door. "Shh!" he hissed as he reached for his spear slowly, fingering the materia in the slots. His gaze seemed to be locked on something that the ex-executive could not see.

"What is it?" Cloud asked softly as he stepped up beside the pilot. He took in a few children standing near the town sign, giggling to each other, but the area was generally quiet. The snow had stopped falling for once, and the fading light of the evening had caused all of the street lamps to come on. His senses were on high alert, and his only consolation was that he had yet to hear voices, meaning Sephiroth was nowhere near. Then, his eyes fell on what had caused Cid to pause, his fingers unconsciously flexing towards his sword.

Elena, newest member of the Turks, and two ShinRa soldiers were standing at the far end of the town, looking out at the path that led beyond. The blonde seemed distinctly out of place in her tailored suit, speaking quietly into some sort of electronic transmitter. She and her lackeys had yet to notice that their quarry had already entered the town, or perhaps she just didn't care.

"I'll bet all of my gil that that Turk bitch knows where Tifa is," Cid growled, angry eyes already locked on his target.

"What little of it there is," Reeve commented dryly, flashing Cid a bright smile. His face had strangely twitched at the word Turk, but neither of his companions had noticed. "Let's get her!" he announced, spreading his fingers to show the knives he already had prepared for throwing.

Cloud nodded his head in agreement, and the three advanced to where the female Turk and her back up were standing. Taking up their typical battle stances, weapons at the ready, they prepared to fight, but Elena beat them to it.

"We knew you were coming this way," the woman said before she turned around. It didn't surprise them in the least that she knew they were there. She was a Turk, after all.

"Where's Tifa?" Cloud growled, making a threatening motion with his sword. One of the soldiers gulped noticeably, already appearing to shake in his boots. He did not seem comforted by the sight of the large sword.

"Who?" Elena cocked up one eyebrow. Her eyes slid from Cloud to Cid and finally landed on Reeve. A shadow crossed her face, but it passed too quickly to be discernable.

"You took her earlier, and I want to know where," the swordsman insisted. He raised his blade in a gesture of dominance. "Don't make me hurt you."

Elena smirked, tossing her golden hair. "Oh, please, as if you were any threat to me. I have my orders."

"Just another brainless twit," Cid commented under his breath, twirling his spear expertly around his fingers.

"If you say so," Elena scoffed, her voice taking on an angry tone as she clenched her fists. "I will make you bleed!" she yelled, taking a vicious step forward.

That was her first and last mistake.

Some careless child had left their snowboard on the ground, and Elena quite foolishly didn't bother to check her footing. One step forward, and her ShinRa-issued boots landed solidly on the abandoned toy. It slid beneath her feet with ease, skating across the snow encrusted ground and throwing her off balance. Waving her arms wildly as the snowboard began to coast down the long, sloped hill, Elena fought to slow her rapid descent. Cloud's group watched in horrified amusement as she went cascading down the hill, terror etched into her features.

"Boss!!" the two soldiers screamed, eyes widened in surprise. They ran after their commander, hoping to catch her before she slid off a cliff or something.

Cid snickered. "I say, she is rather graceful, isn't she?" He dropped his fighting stance, depositing his spear back into his harness with a slight twirl and immediately reaching for a cigarette.

Cloud just shook his head and turned back towards the interior of Icicle. "I think that I am ready for sleep now."

Reeve couldn't help himself, letting out a chuckle. "Is it always like this? I couldn't tell when I was just piloting an empty shell."

Cid groaned as headed for what they hoped was the inn. "No, my friend, it is much worse."

The ex-SOLDIER shook his head. "Just another day in the life of a political terrorist," he commented as he pushed open the doors to the rather extravagant hotel, and he welcomed the warm breath of air that ghosted across his face. Tourist towns always did have the best places to stay, despite the annoyance involved.

The three entered, eyes quickly scanning the common room for more Turks and soldiers, but there were none. Instead, to their surprise, the rest of the crew was already there. Vincent, Nanaki, Barret, and Yuffie were sitting at the table nearest to the fire, warming up, and talking quietly. Well, the others were sitting and chatting, Vincent was leaning against a wall looking bored and contemplative. Nothing out of the ordinary there.

"Yo, Cloud, ya'll took long enough to get here," Barret commented, clapping his friend on the back as they took a seat. The friendly gesture had more strength behind it than the older man intended and knocked the slighter Cloud forward. He attempted a weak smile in return, his brains feeling addled from the blow.

"We ran into Elena," the blond said in an effort to explain. "She tried to tell me that she knew nothing of Tifa."

"Why didn't ya pound the truth out of her?" Yuffie asked, fingering her shuriken lovingly.

Cid roared with laughter. "Damn bitch slipped on a snowboard and took an unscheduled flight."

Yuffie beamed, picturing the neatly dressed Turk flying down the hill on a snowboard. She could hardly contain her giggles.

"Besides that," Cloud interrupted, "did you go ahead and get us rooms?"

Barret nodded and shifted. "We could only get three."

Vincent sighed, immediately knowing where this was going. "So again we have to share, designate who has to room with whom." It went unspoken that he found this a tedious task, though he had the feeling already how it was to turn out, not that he hadn't been sharing rooms with Cid since the incident. Still, things were rather awkward, and despite his enjoyment of silence, Cid being quiet irked him because it was unnatural.

Everyone around the table turned to look at their companions, weighing options in their minds.

Yuffie's eyes widened with realization. "Say… not that I'm complaining, but… I'm like the only girl here." The men exchanged glances and realized that the little ninja was absolutely correct.

Cloud scratched his head, seemingly unable to deal with that concept. "Then you're the lucky one that doesn't have to share a room."

Yuffie laughed quietly. "Well, I don't mind Nanaki, but the rest of you boys are going to have to figure out the rest." Her hand came up to her face, and she stifled a long yawn.

It was that moment that everyone remembered how long it had been since they had actually had any rest. Wordlessly, Barret handed over the key to the smallest room. Yuffie gave him her brightest smile as she bounded off towards the stairs humming a little tune to the words "_Materia Materia_." Yet, her movements belied her fatigue, slightly less jaunty than usual.

"That just leaves the rest of us," Barret muttered quietly.

Vincent sighed and rolled his eyes. The idiots were making a big deal out of nothing. He had thought by now they would have gotten over their fear of him, but it appeared some things would never change. Nevertheless, he remained quiet, preferring to let them make fools of themselves without his input.

"Why don't we just leave things the way they were before and let Reeve choose where he wants to sleep?" Nanaki suggested, ever the calm and decisive diplomat.

"Works for me, 'cause otherwise I don't give a damn!" Cid said, yawning. He stretched and reached for the spear that he had propped up next to his chair. "I been dreaming of a warm, soft bed," he murmured as he stood, holding out his hand expectantly.

Barret smirked as he tossed the pilot a key. "Beauty sleep would do you a lot of good."

Cid caught it deftly, swirling the small brass ring around on finger. "We're a fine lot of insomniacs then," he countered with a serious grin. Whistling to himself, he left the table heading for the rooms upstairs and appearing to have completely forgotten his anger from earlier.

Barret was flustered, unable to think of a sufficient comeback. He wracked his brain even as the pilot moved further away.

"He got you good," Cloud teased, trying to hide his laughter behind a hand.

The older man frowned, thinking deeply. "Eh, shuddup!"

Reeve snickered. He found Cid's insult to be rather amusing. Then, he remembered something that had happened earlier that day, involving a spear and some money. Leaning over, he whispered into Barret's ear, quietly so that none of the others could hear him. He was only glad that rather than shrinking away from him and threatening violence, the larger man actually listened to him.

Barret's face lit up with amusement, and he laughed out loud. Reeve smirked smugly and leaned back into his chair, and Barret stood up quickly, chair skittering out behind him with a sinister smile on his face as he went chasing after Cid, the perfect come back on the tip of his tongue.

"What did you tell him?" Nanaki asked, flicking his tail languidly. The fire-wolf was reclined on the floor, comfortably stretched out without a care in the world. He didn't appear to mind the strange looks the other patrons of the establishment were giving them for their overly large and vocal "pet."

Reeve smiled. "I told him about a certain pilot, who was too broke to afford a certain rather lovely spear in the weapons shop."

"Yeah." Cloud chortled then, instantly understanding. "Great and illustrious pilot Highwind, storming out of the weapons shop because the man wouldn't lower the price."

The ex-executive snickered again. "Think we should have told him about the sign?"

Cloud shook his head. "Nah. It would have made him feel stupid."

Nanaki looked between the two of them curiously. "What sign?"

The humans burst out laughing yet again. "That particular weapons dealer only accepts icigil (1)," Reeve said through his chuckles.

"If Cid had been paying attention instead of being all hard-headed, he would have known that he could afford the damn thing," Cloud finished.

Nanaki then understood the joke, allowing himself a smile.

Vincent shook his head since it really wasn't that amusing. "Children, every single one of you," he commented under his breath, but it was loud enough that every one could hear him. He was only vaguely listening to the current conversation, more affected by the strange rustling and murmuring of the demons within his mind. They were more active than usual, and it worried him.

The blond snorted. "You don't have a comedic bone in your body," he accused the former Turk, but Vincent ignored him.

The last of Reeve's chuckles faded as he glanced between the two men. There was an unresolved tension there, one that he didn't quite understand, not so much that the two had actually come to physical blows, but their verbal sparring was a near constant. For every suggestion that Cloud made, Vincent had a rebuttal. For every denial that the gunman claimed, the blond had an accusation. It was a never ending circle, and eventually, it would either have to break or fold, one way or the other.

"We can't all gain our amusement from Captain Highwind's misfortune," Reeve inserted smoothly. "He cannot help the pride or the obstinacy."

Cloud shrugged, one finger tracing the rim of his drink that he had yet to consume. Apparently, Barret had taken the liberty to order them all something, but it was not to their leader's taste. Come to think of it, the drink that the ex-executive had before him wasn't really to his flavor either.

"Cid _is_ a rather interesting character," the lion-wolf remarked from the floor, tail remarkably managing to not set anything aflame. Cloud released a small snort of laughter at that, shaking his head at the older blond's fate to be discussed in his absence.

Managing to conceal a rather lengthy yawn, Reeve stood. "I'm rather tired," he admitted as three pairs of eyes turned in his direction. "I think I'll go to bed as well."

"Sleep in our room. It really doesn't matter to me." Their leader shrugged his shoulders in an attempt at nonchalance, which failed when the devious simper made its appearance. "If you listen hard enough, you might be able to follow the sound of Barret's snores."

"Unless he gets confused by Cid's," Vincent muttered under his breath. He hadn't intended it to be a joke but the others took it that way all the same. At the sound of their laughter, he bit back a sigh and settled more comfortably against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest.

Shaking off the last of his chuckles, Reeve turned from the table. All in all, he was pleased with how the day had gone. Slowly but surely, he was regaining their fragile trust. He only hoped that in the future, he would not be faced with another situation where he would have to choose. It was a difficult path that he had picked, but he knew there was no other way.

Nanaki flickered mirth-filled eyes towards Vincent, taking in the hint of a smile that ghosted on the lips of the ex-Turk. "You know, I believe that is the first time I heard you call Cid anything but Highwind, Vincent," he commented, golden gaze carefully regarding the gunman with nothing less than abject interest.

Vincent's eyes immediately shifted to the fire-wolf, who sat on the floor next to Cloud. "Is that supposed to mean something?" he asked, voice trying to sound nonchalant. He tried to mold his face back into the quiet, cold stare that he had perfected.

"It does now." The fire-lion smirked, giving the gunman a knowing look. The two locked eyes, seemingly having a contest of will and wit.

Cloud's gaze darted between the two, confusion clearly etched into his features. "Did I miss something?"

Vincent did not answer, only looked at Nanaki intently,. The lion-wolf seemed to believe he knew so much, from his insinuative talk earlier to his comments now. But he knew _nothing_.

"No," Nanaki answered, shaking his head. "It has been a long day; I think I am going to rest also." He roused himself off the floor, stretching lazily, much like a cat would. His tail whipped through the air behind him, twitching in contest to his emotions.

Cloud waved his hand at the lion-wolf. "If you insist," he responded in a casual tone, but truthfully, he was paying close attention to the interaction between his companions. "I'm not one to say otherwise."

Nanaki nodded and loped towards the stairs but stopped before he began to climb. He turned his head back towards the two remaining party members, Cloud at the table and Vincent against the wall.

"Pride was your first fall and soon to be the second," he said clearly yet enigmatically. "Make no mistake about that." Without waiting for his response, the fire-lion bounded up the stairs, heading for the room Yuffie had taken for herself. He knew that the ninja wouldn't mind if he curled up on the floor.

"What the hell was that about?" Cloud questioned, turning his attentions to the man before him, and he idly tapped one finger on the table.

Vincent stared thoughtfully at the bottom of the steps where Nanaki had stood, fury flashing across his face. Was he angry that the fire-wolf had spoken to him in such a way or irate because Nanaki was right?

Pride had indeed caused his failure to protect Lucrecia, but was it conceit that destroyed the tentative friendship between he and Cid? Had he pushed the pilot away out of some deference to his arrogance rather than because of his self-imposed guilt?

Within him, the demons hissed and cackled, deriding their host's internal thoughts. They believed him to be a weak fool, cursing his humanity and his sympathy, especially for the deceased Lucrecia. They were stirring more than usual, something he had noticed belatedly. It caused him to frown in recognition, and something strange shivered up his spine, a barely noticeable warning. But for what?

Cloud interrupted his mental tangent, eyebrows lowered with irritation. "What are you hiding, Vincent?"

The gunman's constant rebuttal of his leadership irked him, not to mention the lingering doubts into Vincent's faithfulness. One did not spend thirty years in the company of Hojo and come out completely unscathed.

Take himself for instance. He could barely function, mind wavering between sanity and voices that didn't belong to him. Sephiroth could cause him to do something he would regret at any moment, and it stood to show that Vincent might not have his own freedom either. He wouldn't put it past Hojo to have some sort of control over him.

"Nothing, Strife," the gunman hissed, turning a poisonous glare on his companion, the one he was forced to call leader. Inside, his demons called Cloud other things, but Vincent ignored them. "Or do you also believe me to be a spy?"

Cloud sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair. "You act so damn secretive. We don't know jackshit about you. You could stand to fill us in, you know."

Vincent snorted in barely restrained exasperation. "And give you more weapons against me?" he questioned, one eyebrow twitching. There was a prickle, another shiver and a strange rumbling of power, and he blinked as he attempted to change the subject and calm his rising ire.

"Besides, you know as much as I, which I gather is not much."

Cloud frowned. "I absolutely hate fucking liars, Vincent."

"I have not lied," the former Turk responded, narrowing his eyes in anger. Of all the things he had done in his past, he knew lying was not one of his faults. He had murdered, stolen, destroyed, but he did not lie.

"Then, why do you claim you know nothing? When we met, you talked of Hojo and Sephiroth and made vague references to some girl named Lucrecia. You also mutter incoherent sentences about your sins and atonement, and hell, it sounds to me like you know everything!" Cloud accused, his voice rising.

Vincent stared at him, trying to determine whether or not he was going to dignify that with an answer.

"Dammit, Vincent!" Cloud spat angrily, slamming his fist on the table. The glasses rattled with the impact, one not surviving and crashing to the floor. The other patrons in the bar area turned their attentions towards them, taking in their furious expressions. Some were beginning to feel a little uneasy, inching their way towards the door, their drinks forgotten. They did not want to be caught in the middle of what was beginning to look like a lover's spat.

"You wanted to be a part of this!" Cloud growled. "I'm not backing down this time!" His gaze never wavered, mako eyes unnaturally bright in the dimness of the smoky interior.

"It's none of your business," the ex-Turk answered coldly, nostrils flaring.

Cloud snarled and jumped to his feet, this time slamming both his palms on the table. "It became my business when my friends started disappearing, and you sneak off for some unknown reason that very same night!"

"You would dare to follow me?" Vincent practically snarled in response, a cold fury surging through his body. His flesh hand clenched at his side as the demons within him chortled with glee, encouraging him and feeding his anger. They whispered plans, murmured of blood and recompense, but most of all, they hungered for destruction. In the face of Cloud's lack of respect, Vincent was finding it harder to ignore them.

"I said it before, and I'll say it again, Valentine. _I do not fear you_," Cloud responded with equal coldness, jabbing a finger in his direction. "I want some damn answers from you, and I want them NOW!" He sliced a hand through the air, his demand final.

Vincent stared at Cloud, his hand starting to twitch at his side, near where his gun was. The demons, the voices in his head were getting louder, telling him to shoot the arrogant brat and get it over with. They were drowning out his conscience, making him desire nothing but their calls for battle and blood, rivers of it never ceasing.

"No," he declared sharply, almost having to force it out.

Within him, a war was raging. He spoke not only to Cloud, more to the reprehensible demons within him. He sneered at the blond before he whirled on his heels and stomped towards the stairs. He couldn't be around the man any longer, or he might do something that couldn't be erased. Cloud's idiocy tended to invoke an urge to kill in him stronger than many of the others.

"Don't you walk away from me," the ex-SOLDIER shouted, anger evident in his voice.

The other man ignored him, finding it increasingly difficult to quiet the angry and blood-thirsty mutterings within him. Distance… he needed distance, but the damn fool wouldn't let him be. He just had to be in control, had to know everything. Striding forward, Cloud latched onto Vincent's shoulders, intending to force the gunman to talk to him.

In one precise and fluid motion, Vincent drew his Silver Rifle and half-turned, pointing it directly at Cloud's temple… so near that the barrel pressed to pale skin. His right eye twitched, and he closed both briefly before turning to glare at the blond.

"Do not push me," he growled. "It is getting harder to drown them out. And I can't say what I will do."

-----

(1) I created icigil, which is basically Icicle currency. Two icigil one gil.

Leave a review before you go! Thanks everyone!!


	9. Starting Over

Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing! Much appreciation.  
--Demon Speaking-- 

**Chapter Nine: Starting Over**

Cloud's eyes widened considerably. He had never thought that Vincent would ever actually intend to hurt him or even draw his weapon. He took an unconscious step back, releasing his hold on the other man's shoulder. He put up his arms in surrender since even he couldn't survive a hit in the temple from one of Vincent's powerful guns.

In turn, the former Turk had his eyes shut tightly, waging a battle inside himself. His body shook slightly, muscles jumping beneath the flesh of his face and looking like the slightest thing might set him off.

"Vincent, I think--"

"They tell me to kill you," the former Turk interrupted in a voice barely above a whisper. The gun wavered in his grasp, his eyes still closed. "They tell me to pull the trigger."

Everyone in the inn and bar had turned their attention to the pair. Most held their breath in anticipation, guessing that blood would be shed at any moment. Even more edged their way to the door, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire.

--He insulted you; he must die. He doesn't know what it means to fear you. Wouldn't his blood look nice splattered along the walls?--

--In fact, everyone's blood would look better out of their bodies rather than in.--

--Kill him; kill them all! Let them know your pain! Show them our true power!!--

Vincent shook his head, trying to get rid of the screaming voices of the demons within him. He didn't understand why they chose this moment to suddenly start making suggestions all at once. It seemed lately that they had gotten louder and stronger in him. Usually, he could drown them out, ignore them, or even make them stop. It wasn't working, and his limbs began to shake with the effort.

He tried to force his body to move, heading for the stairs. Maybe if Cloud was out of sight the anger that was building in him would cease and so would the bloodthirsty mutterings of the demons. Cloud was infinitely infuriating but certainly didn't deserve the brunt of their afflictions. It took nearly all of his control to rein them in, a problem he hadn't had before. What had changed?

It was then that the innkeeper decided to play the hero. Where he had dug up the sudden courage from… well, even the balding heavyset man was unsure. He had never been an audacious man in his life, which was the reason why he decided to become the owner of an inn and not an adventurer. Still, to protect his livelihood and family, the innkeeper dredged up some semblance of bravery and trod nervously up towards where Vincent and Cloud were standing, the blond at gunpoint.

"Excuse me, sirs, but I cannot have this sort of behavior in my inn," the man mumbled, clearing his throat nervously. His dark brown gaze darted between the two as he wrung his hands together, plainly hoping they would not turn their ire towards him.

Vincent's eyes snapped open at the unfamiliar voice, causing him to falter slightly in his attempt to talk down the bloodthirsty demons. Cloud maintained his own concentration. Taking that brief second of distraction as the only chance he would get, he sprang forward, pushing away Vincent's gun arm and tackling the gunman in the same moment. The gun went off as the former Turk squeezed reflexively, the bullet skimming Cloud's cheek, barely avoiding the innkeeper before slamming into the wall behind them.

The innkeeper stared at them, rather horrified, backing away quickly. His face had paled considerably. Perhaps he should have left well enough alone At the sound of the gunshot, the rest of the patrons decided that it was time to go and scattered. He abandoned the bar and registration desk to his violent patrons and chalked it up to something for the damnable insurance to pay for. It had to be worth something.

Meanwhile, Vincent and Cloud crashed to the floor, the blond landing on top. The thinner Vincent was crushed beneath Cloud's small but more bulky weight. The gunman's head slammed into the thick floor, momentarily making him see stars. He groaned in pain as the gun clattered out of his hand, sliding across the floor, completely useless. His fingers twitched, mourning the loss.

Cloud was the first to regain his senses, straddling the ex-Turk and immediately grabbing hold of his arms. He slammed both appendages down forcefully against the wooden, alcohol-stained planks of the floor. He had a feeling that the gunman was much stronger than him, but he knew he had to do something. There had been a wild look in those crimson eyes that Cloud did not trust.

"Uhhnn…" Vincent groaned. His head was pounding, and his vision was blurry. He could still hear them: Death Gigas, Hellmasker, Chaos, and Galian Beast. However, it seemed their voices were dimming, just barely. The cackles became vague echoes, the urgings of blood-lust fading to light pangs of hunger that slowly wilted away.

"You better pray to whatever you serve that I don't kill you now," Cloud snarled, not appreciating what had just happened in the slightest. He painfully squeezed on the gunman's arms, slamming the wrist and claw down on to the floor to enunciate his point.

Vincent groaned as his head spun. "Let me go."

Cloud scoffed. "I'm not that stupid. There's no way in hell I'm going to let you anywhere near your gun."

"I cannot breathe," the gunman stated breathlessly, his voice taking on a slightly desperate tone. His chest felt tight, constricted, and he was still dizzy from the knock to the head.

--Just like before, ne, Vincent?-- There was a dark chuckle, echoing across his subconscious. --How does it feel to have another man on top of you? Holding you down, forcing you to bend to his will?--

Vincent shook his head. He couldn't listen to their taunts; he couldn't let them get to him.

"How do I know you won't go all ballistic on me again?" the blond countered.

Despite all that, Vincent couldn't stand it. Cloud was too close, simply too close. He felt trapped, his back against a metaphoric wall, and like a wild animal, his teeth were going to bare soon. "You are just going to have to trust me."

"That's not a good enough reason. You just tried to shoot me."

The gunman trembled. "It's the only one I have."

"What's going on, Valentine?"

Crimson eyes shuttered as Vincent looked away, taking a deep shuddering breath that did nothing to calm his body. It was merely too much.

"Nothing. I am handling it."

Or at least he would be, as soon as he could get away, perhaps sate their bloodlust with that of the surrounding monsters. So long as he didn't harm another human being

Cloud snorted. "Right. And the bullet in the wall agrees with you."

"If you hadn't tackled me, I wouldn't have fired," the other man countered through gritted teeth.

"If you hadn't pulled the gun in the first place, I wouldn't have tackled you. Now, what the hell is going on?" Mako-enhanced strength squeezed at Vincent's arms, and a spark of pain shot through his body as bones ground together. If Cloud wasn't careful, he might actually harm the gunman in his irritation. Yet, the pain only served to increase the strength of the demon's voices.

--He hurts you, doesn't he? And you like it. Just like when that man put his hands on you.--

"Get off me." Vincent growled in a low tone, his body shaking beneath Cloud's hold. He thrashed beneath the blond, the demons within beginning to speak to him, taunting him with cruel words and haunting jibes that did nothing for his sanity.

"No," Cloud denied as he shook his head, blue eyes raking over the strange expressions on the gunman's face. He had never seen such emotion in the normally impassive man, and the sheer perniciousness of them frightened him. Terror, anger, and hate all swirled together as crimson eyes flashed.

--This is where you belong, you dirty whore,-- another voice hissed, and Vincent shuddered, a low strangled moan escaping from his mouth. --Used, abused, just a plaything for stronger men to break and own.--

Vincent strained at the hands that pressed his own into the floorboards, eyes rolling up into his head. Slithering darkness bore down on his mind, filled with the taunting laughter of the demons. They delighted in this, his weakness, hoping to exploit it, to take over his body for their own use. Why they had chosen such a moment, he didn't understand. It took nearly all of his will to fight them off, enough so that he had scarce physical strength to remove the overbearing presence of Cloud.

"Get. Off. Me." He gritted his teeth as he spoke, glaring furiously at the stubborn ex-SOLDIER above me. A sharpened canine pierced his lip as he felt the first flex of the demon's power shoot through him.

--You like it. You enjoy it, ne Vincent? You want him to hurt you, take you, make you bleed.--

"No!" The denial was torn from his throat, guttural and inhuman. Cloud's eyes widened in surprise at the flash of fear and hatred he caught in the face underneath him, moments before he was literally thrown backwards. He went through a few tables before he skidded against the wall, boots digging furrows into the inn floor. He crashed painfully, his head cracking against the wall with enough force for him to see stars.

Bleary eyes looked through a haze of pain to see Vincent struggling jerkily to his feet, almost as if someone else was controlling his body. He hadn't even gone for his discarded gun either, shoulders rolling as his lips curled over his fangs. Growls resonated in his throat, but his gaze was locked on the floor, a tiny thread of blood dribbling down his chin from where he had bitten his lip.

"What the fuck!"

The loud proclamation caused Cloud's gaze to focus elsewhere, to the top of the stairs where Cid was descending, shocked blue eyes taking in the scene. Vincent, however, didn't even seem to notice the blond's arrival. The gunman trembled where he stood, seemingly lost to the conscious world.

Cloud groaned, shaking his head to clear away the dizziness as he took a step forward, his back aching from the collision. "Cid, watch it. He's--"

"He's what?" the pilot demanded, the stairs creaking as he came down. "You're fucking tryin' to kill each other!"

A whine from the gunman immediately drew both men's attentions. A gloved hand clenched and unclenched as the fingers of his claw clacked together, producing a morbid and bloodthirsty sound.

"Vince?" Cid asked, daring to take a step towards the ex-Turk, who seemed to have gone completely bloodless, his already pale face nearly as white as the steadily falling snow outside.

"Don't touch me!" the gunman snarled, eyes suddenly snapping open as he jerked away, movements sluggish and erratic. "Don't! I… can't!"

The words cut off in his throat. His eerily red eyes flashed brightly, brimming with some unknown power. The air around him began to pulsate, taking on a dark almost black look. It started to gather around close to his body. He grinned at them, showing elongated and pointed teeth.

The naked blood lust and destruction had Cloud shivering unconsciously. He knew on sight that it could only be the fault of Hojo. His suspicions had been on target. There was something to be feared in Vincent Valentine.

And that something was trying to get out.

"Cid! Get back!" he ordered, face turning grim as he reached behind him, for the sword sheathed on his back. If he had to, he would do whatever it took to stop Vincent. Yet, all the while, his mind was screaming at him in a voice that suspiciously sounded like Barret.

'_See I told you so. He really is a &$#& fucking vampire._'

Cid backed away from Vincent, not liking the eerie crawl of some unknown power that raced along his spine. If it weren't for the inhuman gleam in the gunman's crimson eyes, he might have believed that it was just his limit break activating as a result of the brief scuffle with Cloud. But never before had it taken this long nor had Vincent ever attempted to resist. No, this was something else entirely.

Wind began to whip around the inn's bar, tossing stools against the wall and knocking photos of old Icicle from their hangings to crash raucously to the floor. Intangible tendrils of power lashed through the room, completely invisible to the naked eye. A low, chilling laugh emerged from Vincent's mouth where his fangs continued to elongate, causing Cid's skin to crawl as he backed away, inching towards Cloud. The mocking chuckled continued unabated as slim shoulders twitched and rolled. Vincent's hands clenched at his sides, blood dripping to the floor where emerging claws sliced into his skin.

"What the hell're we goin' to do?" the pilot demanded, completely at a loss for ideas. He despised how his knees were beginning to tremble at the vicious onslaught of _something_ that was swelling inside the small room, causing the floor beneath them to shudder and creak.

Cloud grimly gripped the handle of his Nail Bat. "Whatever it takes," he replied, never taking his eyes off of Vincent. He didn't want to have to kill the gunman, sensing that this was something beyond Vincent's control much like himself when it came to Sephiroth. Nevertheless, he wouldn't allow anyone to be harmed either. He had very little options.

"Do you have any status altering materia?" Cloud asked suddenly. Perhaps if they could put Vincent to sleep or slow him down, they wouldn't be forced to harm him.

Cid scoffed as he reached for the Viper Halberd strapped at his back, glad that he had decided to grab it when he heard the disturbance before he came downstairs. "You know I don't equip that pansy shit," he retorted, backing away when a fierce whip of power slapped in his direction, nearly slashing him across the cheek.

The ex-SOLDIER cursed lowly as he shook his head at the pilot. He only equipped for offense as well. He didn't have anything either. The power seemed to be growing to a crescendo around Vincent, filling the room and crushing against Cloud's chest, making it difficult for him to breathe. The air seemed to pulse and writhe, gathering around the gunman like a black hole, and his body jerked in non-reassuring motions.

The two blonds exchanged a look, fully preparing to take down their companion. Yet, all of the sudden, he let out a fierce growl and pounced, his speed far greater than they had ever witnessed before. Cloud barely had time to react, twisting his body out of the way to avoid the aggressive strike. Vincent flew past him, boots sliding across the floor as he whirled around, red eyes blazing with barely restrained fury. He shifted his position and attacked again, this time elongated claws meeting the force of Cloud's Nail Bat with a jarring clang.

The swordsman had to grit his teeth against the superior strength, but Vincent continued to slash at him. Cloud was forced to weave his blade about to block each successive blow, unable to help his slow retreat backwards. He cast about frantically for something to aid him, some way to stop the crazed gunman that didn't involve blood shed.

His silent prayers were answered when the pilot took it upon himself to jump onto Vincent's back, wrapping an arm around the gunman and attempting to restrain him. The other man bucked and snarled, enraged by the blond on his back as he tried to remove his unwanted passenger. Cloud took that opportunity to dart forward, and the Nail Bat flashed and twisted in the air as the blunt end struck Vincent across the head, delivering a sound blow to the gunman's forehead. He let out a fierce shriek, a raw mixture of beast and human, his entire body going rigid as the strange swirling energy gathered about him and exploded. Cid was thrown from his back. The pilot crashed against a table, shattering it beneath him as Vincent crumpled to the floor, crimson eyes rolling into the back of his head.

Silence fell like a blanket, the rushing wind having completely disappeared with Vincent's slip into unconsciousness. Cid groaned as he shook his head, emerging from the destroyed table. He seemed unharmed, other than the bits of wood that still clung to his clothing. Cloud breathed a sigh of relief, scrubbing a weary hand across his face as he stared down at the unconscious Vincent. One thought was prevalent on his mind.

"What the hell just happened?" he questioned, absentmindedly voicing his wonderment aloud.

Cid shot him a look, clearly unamused. "How the fuck should I know?" he demanded crossly, quickly doing a body check to confirm his uninjured state. "Is he dead?"

Keeping his sword at the ready, Cloud crept close to the crumpled gunman. He knelt down and reached out, looking for a pulse. Vincent was alive but unmoving. His breath rose and fell steadily, and color was gradually returning to his complexion, almost as if the events of the last few minutes had never happened at all.

"He's out cold," Cid commented in surprise, though he was still somewhat wary, keeping a safe distance. Despite his anger, the pilot still believed that there was some humanity inside the dark-haired man. What had happened just wasn't natural.

He had been shocked when he heard the disturbance from the second floor, and he had been even more astonished to find his leader and his once-lover seemingly on the verge of killing each other. He didn't know what had happened in the short time he had been gone, but he was surprised to see the two reacting so violently. Then, on top of it all, Vincent started acting like he was possessed by some blood-thirsty beast.

Cid was very well aware of Vincent's strange additions in the form of limit breaks, but never before had he seen them actually attempt something out of battle. He hadn't even realized that they were anything but under the gunman's control. Irritation with Vincent's treatment of him was giving way under concern for the man's health. It was all beginning to make more sense to him, in a strange, twisted sort of way.

Cloud frowned. "I don't understand," he muttered, running an aggravated hand through his blond spikes. He resisted the urge to grab and pull out of sheer exasperation. Mako eyes darkened with anger. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't just kill a man in cold blood. Yet, Vincent was dangerous, exceedingly so, and he didn't know if it was entirely the gunman's fault or Hojo's alone.

That would be like admitting Sephiroth wasn't to blame for Nibelheim, and Cloud didn't know if he could do that. Despite what he remembered and felt in his heart about the silver-haired General, with the death of Aeris, he could only harbor a burning hatred and desire for revenge.

"We need to get him out of the common room," the pilot responded, finally putting away the Viper Halberd. He glanced at his leader, noting that the blond seemed to be struggling internally. "We can't let the townsfolk see him. They might try to go after him with fire and pitchforks."

Cloud shook his head. "It might not be that far from the truth."

The pilot paused mid-kneel, in motion to scoop the unconscious gunman into his arms. "The fuck?" he asked, turning a glare onto the younger man as he hefted Vincent into his arms. The former Turk might have been taller than him, but he barely ate anything was actually quite lanky under all those dark clothes.

"He's dangerous, Cid," Cloud countered, sheathing his blade. "You saw for yourself. What if that turns on us?"

"He's never attacked us before!" the pilot argued, already heading for the stairs. "You want to just abandon him? Leave his crazy ass behind in Icicle or sumthin?" He began to ascend, assuming Cloud would follow him as he intended on taking Vincent to their room. When the gunman awoke, Cid was determined to get some answers out of him, provided he had some to give.

He didn't know why he felt the need to speak up for Vincent. It wasn't as if they had officially reconciled and become friends just yet. Still, he was growing weary of all the backstabbing and accusations that seemed to float around in their group. If it wasn't Barret sending everyone suspicious glares, then it was Reeve treading softly for fear of being sent out alone with a band of assassins after his head.

Besides, compared to Cloud's insanity, Vincent's wasn't really that surprising. Everyone of their damn group was loopy in one way or another, himself included for daring to lust after a former Turk with an icy exterior.

"He did tonight!" Cloud snapped. "I can't trust that he won't do that again! You even said it yourself. He's crazy!"

Cid narrowed his eyes. "And so are you, but you don't see none of us plannin' on ditchin' your traitor ass either, do ya? It wasn't him who gave the Black Materia to Sephiroth," he spat.

The ex-SOLDIER winced, a bit surprised by the sheer voracity in the pilot's words. When had Cid become Vincent's knight? It made very little sense to the swordsman.

"That was a low blow, Cid."

The pilot snorted. "It's the damn truth. Maybe you should think before you start opening your big fucking mouth. Now, open the #& door for me. I can't get it myself."

Mako eyes narrowed into a glare, but Cloud did as the pilot suggested. "I see your point," he responded, "but that doesn't mean I can trust him again."

"Nobody said you had to," the Captain retorted as he laid Vincent down on the spare bed in the room. He had to bite back a small grumble of surprise when the "unconscious" Vincent didn't appear to be quite so. Yet, he pretended ignorance, wanting the gunman to hear what he and Cloud had to say to each other.

The ex-SOLDIER placed the Silver Rifle on the bed stand, having retrieved it from the floor of the inn. "Why do you even care so much?" He observed Cid's movements with a curious glare.

"I don't," the pilot replied bluntly as he moved to sit on his bed. A cigarette was quickly grabbed and thrust between his lips. Seconds later, a thin stream of grey smoke was curling into the air. "I'm just tired of all the fucking bullshit. You're crazy. He's crazy. Hell, I must have lost my damn mind to join this group. Something happened to Vince that don't none of us know nothing about. Can't blame the guy for taking a trip off the deep end every now and then."

"Exactly," Cloud pointed out. "That's just my point. _Something_ happened to him, and he's not offering up any details."

Cid scowled. "I don't see you explaining why Sephiroth can control you either." Really, this discussion was getting them nowhere. They kept circling around the same argument and rebuttal. Truthfully, all it boiled down to was that Cloud didn't trust Vincent, understandable but also hypocritical given the younger blond's own track record. The pilot sighed, sitting back against the bed as he took another drag.

"He was right."

"What do you mean?" Cloud questioned.

The older male waved a hand of dismissal. "Ain't my business to say. But maybe the reason Vince don't offer up any information is because of the way you're actin' right now. Psh, I know I wouldn't say anything if I already thought you were out to find some reason to hate me even more."

"I don't hate him," he responded softly, a strange look in Cloud's eyes.

Cid raised a brow. "Oh?"

But Cloud shook him off instead of explaining. He rubbed a hand over his forehead, already feeling the approaching migraine. Why did everything have to be so damn complicated? Who the hell made him leader anyways?

He could just hear Barret now and sincerely hoped that the older man learned nothing of what had happened. Otherwise, they would never get any rest.

"No one finds out about this," Cloud ordered, easily changing the subject. "I don't want to hear Barret's fuss."

Sky blue eyes narrowed. "And?" Light flared as another puff of smoke curled up towards the ceiling before the cigarette was snuffed out in an ashtray.

Cloud glared. "And nothing. I can't justify leaving him behind for the same reason that you so blatantly scolded me for. It's safer for all of us if he is where I can keep a careful eye on him. I decided that from the beginning."

The pilot regarded him thoughtfully. "What are you going to do then?"

It was Cloud's turn to shake his head, a sardonic smirk taking over his features. "Do?" he questioned. "There's really nothing I can do. If this was anything like his limit break, he isn't going to have a clue about the past few minutes when he wakes up. Not that he would be all that willing to offer up any information in the first place." He sighed, raking a hand through his spikes again, a gesture he realized with annoyance that was becoming a sign of his aggravation and stress. "For the night, be wary. Just in case."

"As if I could stop him," Cid retorted with a dismissive wave of his hand. He had no illusions. Vincent was most assuredly more powerful than him, especially considering whatever the hell that just was. He had been tossed like a damned doll from the force of that power. It would probably be safer if he just ran like hell, and he was tempted to do so.

Cloud sighed. "I'm gong to sleep," he said as he turned away and headed towards the door. However, he paused, one hand at the knob as a thought occurred to him. "You are welcome to share the floor with Reeve," he suggested. "If you don't feel safe, of course." A smirk made its way to the younger blond's features.

"I'll take my chances," Cid answered darkly.

Clearly amused, Cloud bit back a retort and left, closing the door behind him. Shaking his head in disbelief, the Captain rose and locked it, not even sure of why he did. He moved away from the door and sat back on his own bed. Cid contemplated the day's events as he slowly stripped down, removing his signature goggles and coat. He took out another cigarette, lighting it quickly. The first had done nothing for his tense nature.

"Those will be the death of you one day, Highwind." The unmistakable voice of Vincent echoed through the room. The gunman shifted on the bed, pulling himself into a sitting position as he idly rubbed at his forehead with one hand, trying to quell a rising headache.

The pilot shrugged, taking another deep puff. "Gotta go one way or another," he responded flippantly, shooting the dark-haired man a glance from the corner of his eyes. Vincent looked pale and haggard, dark circles under his eyes. He hadn't noticed it before, given that he always wore that damned headband and the cloak pulled up, but he noticed it now.

Vincent was silent for a moment, seemingly contemplating his words. Cid ignored him as he smoked his cigarette, the nicotine soothing his frazzled temperament. He didn't have the words to speak, so he waited, having the feeling that Vincent had something to say instead. He had, after all, realized that the gunman was conscious for most of his discussion with Cloud.

"Why?" the former Turk finally asked. The hand slipped down from his face as he eyed the pilot. "Why the hell did you make it a point to stand up to Strife?"

Cid snorted as he began to tug on his boots, working on the laces so that he could remove them. "Y'know, if you didn't insist on calling people by their last names, they might actually start to warm up to ya a bit more."

"Don't change the subject," Vincent replied lowly. "Why must you be adamant on friendliness towards me? Cloud would have been smarter to do as he wanted, rather than listen to you."

The pilot puffed on his cigarette, pausing in his movements as his gaze met that of Vincent's for a moment as he seemed to contemplate the question. "It was the right thing to do," he answered finally, looking down to finish unlacing his boots. "Cloud's a hypocritical bastard too arrogant to admit he might be just the least bit afraid of you. He sees himself in you, and that scares him."

Vincent didn't respond, finding that the words were surprisingly insightful. Cid really was intelligent. He hid it far too well beneath the bluster and the bad grammar.

"I never said I hated ya, Vince," the Captain continued, concentrating solely on removing the boots. It was true. While he was angry with Vincent for the man's treatment of him, he was beginning to see some truths that weren't visible to him before, namely Cloud's reaction earlier. That and the occasional self-reviled mutterings that he caught from Vincent's direction. Nor could he deny the lust that he felt for the dark-haired man. There was something between them, but he could not define what.

"An' I figured out what you were doin', too," the pilot added in for good measure. "An' it ain't going to work either. I'm pissed at ya. But I'm still your friend."

Vincent chewed on his bottom lip for a moment, a frown deepening in his features. "I'm not here for friendship."

The pilot waved a hand of dismissal, two pairs of boots clunking to the floor as he put out his cigarette. "Yeah, I know. Redemption. You committed a sin. Whatever. But would it kill ya? What ya gonna do after the battle, huh? Go back to your coffin and sleep forever?"

The former Turk furrowed his brow, gaze shifting to the side. "I hadn't thought about it." His next words were so quiet that the pilot had almost not caught them. "Monsters don't deserve friends."

Cid scowled at the statement, that irritating him far more than Vincent's strange attempt to kill Cloud or even his coldness towards him. "Don't be such a dumbass. Ya ain't that ugly." He paused, considering something before a definite leer began to creep into his face. He tilted his head to the side as he regarded the other man thoughtfully. "In fact, yer kinda cute, especially when yer pissed off or sumthin'."

Red eyes darted his direction, almost an accusing stare at the pilot. "I don't know what game you are playing at Highwind," he began slowly. "But I assure you, I have no other intentions."

Cid sat back on the bed, leaning against the headboard as his jaw set firmly, matching Vincent's glare, stare for stare. "Shiva's Ice, Vince!" he retorted. "I ain't askin' for nothing serious. I'm still pissed as all hell for that fuckin' cold shoulder, but I'm a grown ass man. I can get past that."

Dark brows furrowed as the gunman's gaze shifted to the side. "If you are seeking an apolo--"

"Will you just shut the fuck up; let me finish for once," the pilot interrupted sharply, one fist slamming down into the mattress, creating a dull thump that wasn't at all intimidating. Vincent's eyes snapped up, an almost incredulous expression on his normally impassive face, but he didn't say anything more.

Pleased that he had finally received the gunman's fickle but undivided attention, Cid continued, lowering his tone so that he sounded less angry. "Let's just start over," he said simply. "I ain't waitin' for a sorry that ain't comin', and you ain't likely to explain why you're choosing to act like an asshole. If you don't want ta be with me I can live with that, but Kami, it ain't like you couldn't use a friend."

"A friend," Vincent murmured. It was nearly a foreign concept to him, especially after having joined the Turks. There was his partner, but… Vincent was used to being solitary. As a child, his companions had moved away at a young age, and he couldn't help being naturally quiet and introverted. It had taken the combined efforts of his childhood friends to draw him out. When not given that prompting, he found it easier to withdraw inwards.

The pilot sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face and realizing that he could use a shave. "Yes, a friend. So stop wallowing in your little self pity sessions, and start acting a little more friendly."

"Friendly? Like Shera?"

Cid stared at him, a scowl beginning to take over his features. "Don't you go worrying about Shera 'n me or even comparing the two. Jes cuz we disagreein' over that bald ShinRa freak she likes to sneak around with don't mean we ain't friendly. Now how about some explanations?"

"Explanations?" Vincent returned, blinking at the quick change in topic. It appeared that he and the pilot were "friends" now; nevermind that he didn't exactly remember agreeing to the whole starting over bit, not that it would have stopped Cid in the slightest. Oftentimes, the pilot bull rushed him, leaving him reeling in the wake of the power that was "The Captain."

Cid waved a hand to encompass all that had occurred in the past twenty minutes. "Downstairs? You trying to kill our spiky haired leader? What the hell happened down there?"

Vincent frowned, entirely unsure how to answer, especially when he wasn't sure himself. His memory was fleeting and fractured at best. He could recall fighting with his uninvited demonic guests and working to forestall some strange overtaking of his own body. It was a supernatural tug-of-war deep within his mind, and he was completely unaware of whatever had occurred outside of it. He certainly didn't remember actually attacking Cloud, though the fight that led up the madness was crystal clear.

A vague feeling of helplessness and slight terror accompanied his attempts to remember the previous events. If only Cloud had left him alone, allowed him to seek his distance when he had first tried to leave. Perhaps nothing would have occurred then. His anger and irritation gave ground for the blood-thirst of the demons, and for the first time, one had actually sought to break free. Vincent worried that it might happen again, and he didn't know if he had the strength to win.

"Truthfully, I am not entirely sure," he finally replied to Cid's question after an undetermined moment of silence. "If I even knew half of what had been done to me, if I could even comprehend that creature's madness."

He paused, shaking his head. No, Vincent Valentine had no clue what went through the mind of the monstrous Hojo nor how his body had been altered. Perhaps he was no longer human after all.

"But whatever it was… it was not me."

The pilot was quiet for a moment, his gaze leaving Vincent as he shifted on the bed, scooting down until he was lying prostrate, arms folded behind his head. "Ya scared us, ya know?" he commented, almost to himself more than to Vincent in particular, and he contemplated the ceiling. The gunman didn't respond, unsure what to say, but that didn't deter the pilot in the slightest.

Cid sighed, rubbing a hand across the stubble of his chin. "But not because of what ya think. It's not like I'm afraid to die or nuthin'. I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't want to have to kill you."

Not when he had already started developing _something_ for the gunman. He didn't know what that something was, whether just raging lust for having been alone for so long, the increased desire for companionship given the same reason, or even the fascination for a man such as Vincent Valentine. He remembered vividly the feeling of Vincent inside him, around him, filling him, and the pleasure that night brought. He burned to experience it again, but given the skittish nature of the gunman, he resigned himself to his fate of only being friends with him.

Vincent was somewhat stunned by the pilot's admission. He could understand Cid being afraid of him. However, generally feeling guilty for a life he didn't want to take, especially when it concerned someone as unworthy as himself, the gunman floundered.

"Cid…" he trailed off, uncertain of what he was even going to say.

The pilot waved a hand of dismissal, reaching over to yank the chain on the lamp by his bed and plunging the room into semi-darkness. It was pierced only by the moon light streaming in through the uncurtained window.

"Whatever," he replied gruffly, a bit unnerved by his admission. "I knew it wasn't ya, Vince. Hojo fucked with ya, but you ain't a monster." He closed his eyes, fully preparing to go to sleep and effectively dismissing the rest of the conversation, even though it was far from over.

Crimson eyes gleamed in the darkness, trying to discern exactly what was on Cid's mind. Vincent couldn't help but chew his bottom lip in frustration as he flopped back gracelessly on his own bed. Why was it that the pilot unsettled him like no other? Creeping past his carefully constructed icy facade and shields, making him feel again, craving that warmth of friendship and companionship?

Dammit! Cid made him uncertain, and above all, Vincent couldn't stand that. It unnerved him, leaving him shaken.

_I knew it wasn't ya, Vince._

_Hojo fucked with ya, but you ain't a monster. _

Why in blazes did it mean so much to him to hear those words? Vincent shifted irritably on his bed, turning his back on the now silent Captain and facing the wall. He contemplated the grooves that he could easily see given his night vision. Why couldn't he just pretend that Highwind didn't exist? Why didn't the man have the decency to be suspicious and poke and prod at him like the others? Why did Cid insist on crawling beneath his skin and staying there? Making him crave things he did not deserve?

It came as no surprise when Vincent had another sleepless night, plagued by those very questions and so many more.

Outside the room, Cloud stood in mild shock and amazement. He had not originally planned on eavesdropping but was drawn in by the words spoken between the two. He ended up staying just outside, ear cocked to the door as he struggled to decipher their low spoken words and accusations. The occasional sharp voices and arguments had helped some, and now, Cloud found himself more confused than before.

He had thought it odd that the two became close after a rather short amount of time but had never thought for a minute that they had become lovers, even if it appeared to be only the one time. He didn't particularly care what everyone did in his or her private time, but it was strange. Cid had never struck him as the type to bat for the other team, especially since he shared his home with a woman. Then again, the man did consume a lot of tea.

Of course, he hadn't that Vincent did either. Wasn't there some woman he was always muttering about when he thought no one was paying attention to him?

Still, Cloud had learned nothing of what had happened to Vincent. It appeared that not even the man himself knew which presented a problem. Cloud sighed, rubbing a hand over his forehead as the voices inside the room fell silent and the light beneath the door disappeared. He could feel the impeding throb of a headache, hating for not the first time he had been chosen to lead AVALANCHE, though more by default than necessity.

The ex-SOLDIER began to head down the hallway, keeping his steps quiet as he made his way towards his room. He would have to remember to give the innkeeper some extra gil for the damage and loss of income from frightened patrons before they left in the morning. Cloud sighed again, suddenly feeling extremely fatigued.

"Quite an eventful night, if I do say so myself."

The quiet words immediately brought the blond to a halt, his head whipping around to spot Nanaki. The fire-wolf was sitting in the doorway of the room he shared with Yuffie. It was darkened inside, the faint mumbles of the ninja talking in her sleep drifting out to Cloud's ears, not to mention the slight rumbling of Reeve and his soft snoring. Apparently, he wasn't too partial to sleeping on floors, and Yuffie didn't seem to mind giving him the extra bed in her room too terribly.

"Oh?" Cloud inquired with a raised eyebrow, pointedly staring into the room. "Reeve's in there?"

Nanaki regarded him stonily. "She offered. It's not like Reeve's going to do anything."

The ex-SOLDIER could concede that much, considering the naked emotion he had seen on the executive's face when he spoke about his significant other. His _male_ significant other, though the former executive hadn't elaborated.

"No, I suppose not." Cloud returned his gaze back to the lion-wolf. "What do you know?"

"Absolutely nothing," Nanaki replied easily, tail swishing beside him. His head turned to the side, golden gaze falling on the door to Cid and Vincent's silent room. "Nothing at all."

The blond sighed, rubbing his forehead. "All right," he allowed. "What do you _think_ you know?"

It was always tricky speaking to Nanaki. He could be downright enigmatic at times, offering up information in mysterious pieces and leaving Cloud to sort through it on his own. Not that the ex-SOLDIER ever figured anything out. Half the time, he ended a conversation still not knowing what they had been discussing in the first place.

What could have been a smile curved at the corner of the fire-lion's mouth. "I believe that there is much beneath the surface of the Valentine-Highwind friendship. I know that something has changed in the winds of fate…" he trailed off, his eyes returning to Cloud's face. "And I know that you've been wary of Vincent since day one. Might I ask why?"

Cloud contemplated the question, wondering if he should just explain the truth or keep it to himself. One hand scrubbed through his spikes, again feeling the weariness of the night.

"What kind of man can sleep in a coffin for thirty years and come out looking fresh as a daisy?" he finally asked.

The lion-wolf seemed clearly amused by this. "If that was it, you would have gotten along by now. There's something else as well." That golden gaze was almost piercing, unnerving Cloud in its intensity. "You fear him."

The swordsman should have scoffed. He didn't fear Vincent per se, but he didn't trust the man's time spent under Hojo's care. Look what had been done to Cloud himself: voices in his head, Sephiroth able to control his body, and the unnatural strength he had never had before.

Instead, however, Cloud just scowled, annoyance plain on his features. "I am not afraid of Vincent Valentine," he responded lowly. He should have known better than to suspect Nanaki would have anything useful to say to him. "But I am tired, and we have a jaunt through the winter wonderland tomorrow." He waved a hand towards the fire-wolf before stalking towards his room. "Night."

Nanaki watched him go, silent as his tail swished before turning around and heading back into his own room, shutting the door quietly behind him

It was always so much fun to goad the humans.

- - - -

AN: I'd just like to take the opportunity to explain a bit about Cloud's character. I realize that he doesn't seem to have a definitive characterization in this story. This is because we don't really know what his personality is canon-wise. He spends most of the game locked between the personality of Zack, Sephiroth's mental influences, and his own struggles to find himself. As a child, he was somewhat cowardly and weak with elements of depression and low self-esteem, but I can't really go by that considering what all he has experienced. Expect to see Cloud shifting through a variety of characterizations, but as the story progresses, he will slowly begin to revolve around a single personality, one free of Zack's influence.

Thanks! Want to know more? Feel free to e-mail me at I'd be happy to answer! Review please!


	10. Sephiroth Awaits

Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews! I hope you continue to enjoy! 

**Chapter Ten: Sephiroth Awaits**

Cid kicked the bloodied and mangled piece of the Schizo creature, its two limp heads flopping about almost comically. The monster had been damn near impossible to defeat, but somehow, he, Vincent, and Cloud had managed to come out on top, after a long and lengthy battle. The pilot was starting to believe that even the monsters were on Sephiroth's side.

"Tough bastard," he commented aloud, giving the corpse another swift kick for good measure. Beneath his boot, it gradually began to crumple away, becoming little more than a pile of ash that blended with the melted snow and spatters of blood on the cavern floor beneath it. The pilot's gaze flickered to his companion, who was pulling himself off the ground and wincing with the movement.

Vincent coughed. "And I'm afraid I was more harm than good," he mumbled, struggling to his feet. Galian Beast had been worthless in the battle, his flare attacks doing little more than healing one of Schizo's heads. Unable to control the beast, he had nearly forced Cloud to knock him out until Schizo took it upon itself to do that. It had been up to Cid and Cloud to finish off the creature, waiting to revive Vincent until the end. It was probably the wisest move.

From over to the side, Cloud shrugged. "We can't know everything, can we?" he questioned rhetorically, glancing down at the blade of his sword with a slight frown on his face. The blade was getting to be a bit dull, and there wasn't a chance he was going to get to sharpen it soon, unfortunately.

Cid shivered as he moved to stand at the mouth of the cave, hovering near to the edge. He craned his neck, tracing their path down the mountain before leaning to look up at the trail they were to take next. The bitterly cold wind ruffled his hair and clothing, sending a shiver through his body.

"Only one more climb," he commented idly, grabbing a cigarette from under his goggle and lighting up with several flicks, cursing the wind.

"This is it then," Cloud said softly, a feeling of dread combined with anticipation curling in his belly. "The last moment before we face our final battle."

Sephiroth was in front of them. There was no turning back now.

Cid nodded, though he scowled around his cigarette, not looking forward to the climb. "What the hell are we waiting for?" he asked. "Let's get that bastard!"

Ten minutes later, they stood at the lip of the crater, looking down into what Sephiroth had called the Promised Land. It was desolate, snow swept eerily free from the inner rock, and completely devoid of life. The climb down was most likely going to be hazardous, and they saw no sign of Sephiroth or any other similar enemies. It was almost as if they were in the wrong place.

"Doesn't look very promising to me," Vincent remarked drolly, earning a bemused glance from Cid. Crimson eyes narrowed in thought as his cloak fluttered behind him, caught in the vicious icy wind from Gaea's Cliff behind him.

Mako eyes shifted to the side as Cloud shook his head. "Sephiroth is not stupid. There's something there, even if we can't see it."

Cid grumbled, pushing by the two to take a step down into the crater. "Who the #$ cares?" he groused, trying to forestall the chill that had settled in his bones. He fucking hated the cold weather. "Let's just get this over with," he added, leaving no room for argument.

But before he could continue, the sound of an engine and rotors echoed from above them. Their eyes turned upwards, catching sight of an airship heading straight for the center of the crater. The ShinRa symbol was ingrained in hull of the carrier, leaving no doubt in their minds who was aboard.

The pilot cursed violently at the sight, hands clenching tightly around his spear. "Well, I'll be damned! That's my !#$& airship!" he exclaimed angrily, the burned-out cigarette dropping from his mouth to the snow beneath them.

Cloud shook his head in dismay. "We have to hurry then. We can't let Rufus get there first." He took off quickly, heading for the glowing area ahead of them, sword rattling in his back sheath. He didn't seem to notice that the others weren't following just yet, his mind a turmoil of emotions and fears.

Sephiroth was down there, waiting for him, the man he had been chasing ever since the ShinRa building, the man who had killed Aeris and used him for his own purposes. He feared that he wouldn't have the strength to overcome the former General's mind control. Nor could he shake the strange drive inside of him to hurry, to make haste towards the crater like time was running out. It was almost as if he was being called, and it left Cloud feeling restrained, just like the puppet that Sephiroth claimed he was.

Vincent waited until their leader was a fair enough distance away before he called out to the seething pilot. "Cid?" he stated, attempting to get the blond's attention as he slowly pulled out something he had been dragging with him for the past few days, waiting for the right time to reveal it from beneath his tattered crimson cloak.

"What?" Cid asked testily, cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. He paused in his descent of the crater, turning to raise an eyebrow at the vampiric man when his eyes widened in surprise. "That's…"

The gunman nodded, his eyes falling to the spear in his hands, tracing over the materia slots and the obvious thrumming of power that rippled along the elongated shaft. "You cracked your Javelin in the fight with Schizo today," Vincent answered by way of explanation, his voice soft.

Cid climbed the short distance back up the slope, something unreadable in his blue eyes as he reached out to take the proffered gift. "What d'you expect from something ya find lying around in an old icy cavern?" he questioned rhetorically, thoroughly touched.

"Think of it as a 'starting over'," the former Turk continued, finally raising his eyes until his eerily blooded gaze locked with Cid's. "We can't be fighting Sephiroth with broken weapons, now can we?"

The blond smiled then, a huge grin that literally broke his face as he lovingly stroked the Partisan that he had been eyeing in Icicle. "No, we certainly can't." He quickly moved to shift the materia from his cracked spear into the new one, grinning like a love struck fool at his new friend. "What does that make us then?"

"Friends, Highwind," Vincent answered quickly. "I thought that was what you wanted."

Cid shook his head. '_Not what I wanted_,' he thought to himself, '_but I'll take it_.'

"Yeah, okay," he agreed. "Friends." His lips worked around the cigarette in his mouth, unable to help the slight hitch in his heartbeat or breathing when Vincent looked at him, a glance that spoke volumes.

The gunman's lips twitched upwards. "Come on then. Strife is waiting," he urged finally, moving past the pilot, his movement hiding the small smile that had crept onto his features. Cid liked the gift; that was what mattered. He stepped toward Cloud, who was tapping his feet impatiently, apparently having realized they were not following him. However, Vincent still couldn't quite contain his grin, causing Cloud to look at him strangely.

It was much more than starting over to Vincent. It was an apology and an offer both. He had treated the pilot rather horribly, considering how well Cid had been to him. And it wasn't that he didn't want the blond; no, it was quite the opposite. Still, the fact remained that a relationship with someone had no place in his life, not with Lucrecia's blood already staining his hands, along with the innocent lives lost to the hands of Sephiroth. He couldn't afford any more mistakes. That was the way things had to be. Conceding friendship to Cid was an indulgence that he did not deserve but had the gall to accept.

Cid smiled again, twirling the Partisan around in his fingers. "Thanks, Vince," he called out to the gunman, starting down the slope with his companions. He didn't notice when Cloud gave them both knowing glances.

------

The sound of flesh hitting flesh ripped through the air. Tifa crumpled to the ground of the crater, hand clasped to her reddened cheek where she had just been slapped by a furious ninja. Her cherry-brown eyes glowed with revile and hatred as she struggled to return to her feet, glaring spitefully at the younger woman.

"You bitch!" Yuffie screamed, darting forward to attack the other girl again. However, Barret quickly grabbed her from behind before any more damage could be done. She railed against his hold, waving her arms about before collapsing in resignation, unable to break his much stronger grip. But her eyes still burned with fury.

"Calm down, spitfire; she ain't worth it," the older man intoned, holding the ninja back. Though he was upset by the obvious betrayal, he wanted to hear Tifa's side. She had, after all, been his closest friend. It was hard for him to accept the truth.

Yuffie's hands balled into fists at her side, wrath welling up so strong within her that she absolutely had to release it. "We trusted you!" she raged. "You fought at our sides and worked with us, and the whole time you were a fucking spy?" she cursed loudly, spittle flying through the air.

Tifa smirked as she languidly rose to her feet, balancing one hand on her hips. "You dumb asses were none the wiser," she chortled as she sauntered towards President Rufus, wrapping her arm around his waist. She leaned her head on his shoulder and flashed the group of friends another charming smile, letting her claim be known. It was obvious she was on no one's side but her own.

"Did you like the present we left behind for you?" Rufus intoned coldly, hand patting the shotgun holstered at his side. He wasn't a helpless man. "Mechasect was a new invention of Heidegger's. He was quite proud of it."

Cid seethed with anger, shaking his fist at both the brunette traitor and her corporate lover. "Your bitch ass had everyone turned on Vince!" he snarled.

But before anyone could respond, Cloud stepped forward in front of his companions, a spiky blond form separating the two enemy groups. "You have to get out of here!" he said, slicing his hand through the air as his mako eyes seemed to glow. "This place is going to get rough. Better leave things to me."

Rufus was not impressed, curling his lip. "Leave things to you?" he questioned condescendingly. "Hmph… I don't know what you mean," he continued as he waved a hand of dismissal.

Cloud shook his head, a bizarre and almost distant look in his eyes. "This is where the Reunion is happening. Where everything begins… and ends." His voice was oddly empty as he turned away from Rufus and headed towards Nanaki.

The President narrowed his eyes. "Now, now, now, there will be plenty of time for that later," Rufus clucked, shaking his head.

"Thanks… Nanaki. Where's the black materia?" the ex-SOLDIER questioned, an eccentrically warm smile on his face. He held out one gloved hand.

"I still have it," the lion-wolf explained with a hint of some nameless emotion. His eyes searched that of his leader's carefully, almost like he did not trust him. Next to him, Reeve shifted in concern, his own amber gaze searching the blond's. Cloud was acting unusual.

"Let me have it," the swordsman requested, that same warm and comforting smile on his face, but his eyes were empty, almost dead, despite the mako glow.

The former executive shook his head, an eerie feeling settling in his stomach. "He doesn't seem like himself," Reeve mused aloud, inching closer to the fire-wolf. "I don't think you should," he whispered to Nanaki, barely moving his lips. Yet, Cloud noticed the action and the words anyway.

Their leader snarled in response. "I'm fine, Reeve!" he snapped, and his mako eyes flashed, even as he returned his attention to the fire-lion. "Give me the materia."

Nanaki searched his face, but other than the wariness within his stomach and the strange timbre of his senses, he couldn't justify telling Cloud no. He had a feeling that their leader would have found one way or another to get the black materia.

"If you say so," he replied as he reached into his pack, showing surprising dexterity to be able to do such a thing while standing on three legs. The black materia surfaced, tiny ripples of power echoing across it as Cloud took it in hand.

"Thanks," he responded, nodding his head. "You can leave the rest to me."

"Cloud?" Yuffie put in questioningly, taking a step forward. She wasn't sure she liked the look in his eyes. It unnerved her, that and the feeling of danger that seemed to emanate around them. She exchanged glances with her companions, all giving her equally concerned looks. Yet, their spiky-headed leader ignored her completely, almost as if he didn't hear her at all.

Instead, he stood with his back to them, black materia in one hand. "Everyone, thanks for everything. And… I'm sorry. I don't know what to say. I never lived up to being 'Cloud.'" He shook his head, tightening his fingers around the small orb. "Maybe one day you will all meet the real 'Cloud.'" His voice was solemn, sober… changed.

"Cloud?" the little ninja asked. "What are you talking about?"

But Hojo's screeching laughter interrupted her words as he cackled. "This is perfect! It means that my experiment was a complete success!!!" He pattered his way towards Cloud, looking the blond up and down as he pushed up his glasses with one finger. "What number were you?" he questioned before his chilling grey eyes widened. "Huh? Where is your tattoo?"

Cloud sighed, hanging his head. "Professor Hojo, I don't have a number. You didn't give me one because you said I was a failed experiment." Behind him, there was a chorus of gasps coming from his companions. Only Vincent narrowed his red eyes, his blood boiling at sight of the scientist whom he reviled with every inch of his being. It took all of his effort to not pull his gun and shoot where he stood.

"What the--" Hojo sneered, his eyes narrowing in anger. "You mean only a failure made it here?" His voice screeched in disbelief.

The blond nodded, but it was a depressed movement. "Professor… please give me a number," he asked softly, his voice taking on a begging tone. "Please, Professor…"

Hojo sniffed disdainfully as he turned away, shaking his head in disgust. "Shut up, miserable failure."

Cloud's shoulders slumped dejectedly as he hung his head. "I'm sorry," he said one last time, though it wasn't certain whom he was apologizing to.

"What the $#$?" Cid cursed suddenly, face pinched with confusion. He moved forward to grab their leader, but Vincent grabbed his arm and shook his head.

Their leader slowly began to float up to the ceiling on his own power, blue eyes dead. Everyone watched in rapt fascination as a mako egg dropped down, revealing what appeared to be the upper body of the infamous Sephiroth, encased in bluish crystal. Cloud hovered before the mako container for a moment before he pushed his arm through the materia, depositing the black materia into the hardened substance.

It began to glow a mysterious dark color.

"No good will come of this," Vincent murmured, shaking his head somberly. Something stirred inside of him, his demons cackling in glee within his head as they imagined the destruction that was sure to be wrought. He could feel their rousing, and it was the clearest indication that the shit was indeed about to hit the fan. No good was an understatement.

"What the hell's goin' on?" Barret demanded, releasing a livid Yuffie in his shock. She gaped in astonishment, momentary fury with the traitorous bitch forgotten.

Rufus shook his head. "Who… what was that?"

"The Reunion, of course," Hojo tittered, nearly shaking with his glee. "It appears my theory was correct. A little off, but no matter. I was right! Gast would be turning over in his grave, the foolish imbecile--"

The pilot's furious words interrupted Hojo's mini tirade, "Fuck you and your theories! What the hell is wrong with Cloud?" His hand crept around to his spear.

However, before anyone could answer, the ground began to shake violently and pieces of debris fell from the ceiling, narrowly missing the eclectic group of friends and enemies. They could still see Cloud above them, hovering in front of the Sephiroth-egg as the black materia appeared to glow even brighter. But in the walls of the crater something shifted behind the bluish-green materia-like substance of the cavern.

A large eye appeared, opening and looking angrily down at their gathered forms. The crater shifted violently again, many of them fighting to keep their balance.

"What is that?" Reeve exclaimed, wide-eyed. Fear gripped his heart, an unnatural dread that he wasn't quite certain how to explain. All he knew was that they needed to leave and fast. He inched towards the exit.

"Weapon," Hojo mused, face pinched with thought. He harrumphed, shaking his head and heading towards the exit of the crater. "Professor Gast was right after all, it seems."

"I think it is best that we leave now," President Rufus ordered, gesturing towards where the airship was moored. "You all are coming with us." His tone left no room for argument. As it was, the companions had little else choice. The crater was swiftly crumbling around them.

"But… what about Cloud?" Yuffie asked breathlessly, looking up to where he was disappearing into the debris and material surrounding Sephiroth. She caught a glimpse of blond hair before he was completely obscured.

Vincent frowned, pulling his cloak closer around him. "He is lost to us," the gunman answered warily.

"It is no longer safe here. We are leaving. Come on," President Rufus commanded. The entire cavern shook as cracks formed in the ground as the creature, Weapon, shifted and moved behind the walls.

"!#!" cursed Barret loudly. "We have no choice."

The cavern ceiling crumpled, and the cavern began to collapse around them.

-----

"Gya ha ha ha!" Heidegger's throaty and equine laugh filled the belly of the airship as the ShinRa employees reveled in their victory. He sat in one of the chairs within the conference room of the Highwind, ringed around the table by his fellow employees, expect for Hojo, who was musing thoughtfully in the doorway. He seemed particularly giddy, enough so that even the half-wit Heidegger was slightly afraid.

Rufus shot him a cerulean glare. "Do us all a favor; shut the fuck up," he snarled angrily, sitting back in his chair with one elbow propped up on the arm of it. At his side, Tifa snickered, burying her lips into his neck and nibbling on his throat.

Immediately, Heidegger went silence, quailing under the sneer of the President. He shifted uncomfortable in his too-small chair, shooting angered stares at Scarlet, who was enjoying his discomfit.

"Now, Hojo, explain what is going to happen," Rufus continued once the blissful quiet fell.

The scientist snickered, pushing up his glasses with one finger as he turned to regard them all with disdainful looks. "The Reunion is complete, just as I hypothesized," he explained in his most condescending tone, arms folded behind his back. "Sephiroth has called Meteor and the barrier to protect him. The world's going to end soon, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. Science has spoken."

Rufus narrowed his eyes. "That is unacceptable," he replied coolly. "Heidegger! Scarlet! What can we do against that barrier?" he demanded.

The female blonde chortled, holding one hand over her mouth. "The Sister Ray can blow that barrier to smithereens. I guarantee it! We need to go to Junon."

"What about those creatures that came from the crater?" Archer questioned quietly, breaking into their conversation. The amethyst-eyed man had been Reeve's replacement and was now struggling to fill in his mentor's shoes. He worried that those monsters would be a danger to the citizens of Gaia. It was his job to be concerned about such things.

Heidegger scoffed. "Forget those! What about our prisoners? I say we execute the entire lot!"

"No!" Hojo denied, shooting the man a snarl that made him shrink his seat and feel little more than a cockroach. "Two of them belong to me." A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, a terrifying emotion that made even Rufus wince inside. "I am interested in my favorite specimen after so many years."

Rufus raised one blond brow. "By all means," he inserted smoothly. "Which would you require?"

The scientist's eyes took on an evil gleam behind his spectacles as he cackled that annoying chortle of his, one that grated on the senses of all those present. "Give me the ex-Turk," he intoned, pushing up his glasses with one finger before folding his arms behind his back. "I have plans for him."

At those words, many present, even Rufus himself, shuddered. Thankfully, the scientist soon exited from the conference room, leaving the rest of the ShinRa executives to discuss what to do with their captives. It was still a mystery as to why he was given free rein within the company, but even Rufus was wary of trying to deny him anything. The man was, plainly put, a monster.

"As for the others," Heidegger bellowed as they waited for the eerie chill that settled the room to disperse with Hojo's exit, "we need to execute them."

"That Reeve especially," Tifa snarled, tightening her fingers around Rufus' arm and nearly causing him to wince. Sometimes, she forgot her own strength. "For his treachery, he needs to burn."

Archer muttered something under his breath along the lines of "Pot, meet kettle" but didn't speak aloud. He was half afraid they would execute him next.

"But wouldn't such bloodshed ruin ShinRa's image?" he stated in his most winning tone, gathering all attention towards him. "Wouldn't people lose faith in us?"

Scarlet chortled loudly. "Nonsense! We tell them Wallace blew up the plate, and they'll be begging for his blood!" She ran a hand through her hair, clearly impressed with her own decision.

"Inspiring," Rufus commented, running a few fingers over his chin as he nodded in agreement. "As for Tuesti, he is a bit trickier. Many of them look up to him as a hero."

"Exactly," Archer inserted hastily, trying and succeeding in keeping his voice steady. "You can't just kill him off the bat. ShinRa's reputation would be tarnished. Your father--"

But that was the wrong thing to say.

Rufus' fist pounded on the table as his ocean-blue eyes flashed with anger. "My father was a simpering baboon!" he snarled. "He knew nothing of how to run this company! I am President!" The force of his anger was enough to cause everyone sitting at the table to scoot back in their chairs, no one more so than Archer, who looked as if he had just been sentenced to death.

"Reeve Tuesti will be executed for his crimes!" the ShinRa heir continued, rising to his feet and detaching the brunette leech from his side. He slammed his open palm down on the table once again. "Announce it when we arrive at Junon." Bold blue eyes burned with fury as he hissed, "The both of them will die."

-----

Yuffie sighed as she sat on the edge of her metal cot, legs swinging back and forth, a bored expression on her face. Three days… she had spent three days locked up in this room. To be honest, the little ninja was absolutely sick of it.

With a stifled groan, Yuffie put her head in her hands. She hated it in her cell. She absolutely hated it! She sat around all day, thinking about everything that happened to her. Cloud was missing, and she was worried about him. He might not have been particularly warm to her and had refused to give up all his materia, but he was their friend, their companion. She just couldn't believe that he was dead.

Also, Tifa had betrayed them, and that thought pissed her off more than anything. To make a bad situation even worse, she didn't even know what had become of her other friends. She didn't know about foul-mouthed Cid, annoying Barrett, solemn Nanaki, funny Reeve, or silent Vincent. She didn't know if they were okay, if they were hurt, if they were even still alive.

Yuffie frowned, brown eyes narrowing.

What was she thinking?

She was the Great Ninja Yuffie! She couldn't be contained! Her father would be ashamed if she allowed herself to stay locked up in any jail. It was time she got out of ShinRa's custody and back onto the road. They needed to find Cloud, and they needed to stop that bastard Sephiroth and meteor before all of Gaia blew to smithereens.

"All right!" she exclaimed, leaping to her feet on top of the bed, pumping one fist into the air. "It's time to E-X-I-T!" She grinned.

Nevertheless, she stilled as the sound of male voices outside her cell caught her attention. Leaping to the ground, she moved to the door, placing her ear up against the cold metal. It wasn't time for her meal yet, which was unfortunate because she was beginning to feel a rumbling in her belly. If she kept her breathing down to a minimum, she could just hear what they were saying. One male voice, high and thin, was speaking to another, deep and rumbling.

"They decided what to do with some of the prisoners," said squeaky and pre-pubescent.

"Oh?" Mr. Rumble Voice questioned.

"Yeah, the big black guy? He's gonna get executed. They say he's the leader of AVALANCHE."

The deep-voiced guard guffawed. "That's funny. He didn't really look like a terrorist, despite the gun attached to his arm."

"You're right about that. And uh, Reeve, you know, the one that used to be a part of ShinRa," squeaky put in.

"They gonna kill him, too?"

"Yep, ShinRa don't take kindly to traitors, especially since Miss Tifa told the President about everything that happened." Shrill-voice laughed with horrid amusement. "Deserves what he gets that one. I heard that they have evidence that he'd been stealing from the company, too. Giving money to those lousy good-for-nothing bastards in the slums."

Yuffie gasped, instantly stifling the sound and succeeding in missing the next statement. They were going to kill Barret and Reeve! Barret, who yelled at her and called her brat, but who always made sure that she was fed and was never left behind. And Reeve, who was like a big brother and father rolled into one; he was one of the few people who never yelled at her, no matter how annoying she acted.

That most definitely settled it! It was time to step up her plan; she had no time to waste.

"Yep. They haven't decided about the others. So I suppose your little ninja here will just continue to rot in this cell." Rumble-voice snorted and chuckled.

Yuffie heard the sound of footsteps, assuming he had walked away. Sighing grimly, the ninja turned around to look at her room. There was a metal cot, a tiny sink, and a toilet, not really much to work with. Her gaze traveled upwards, skating over a windowless wall before landing on something in the ceiling.

She smiled impishly. There was an air duct, one that was certain to lead to other parts of the ShinRa headquarters in Junon.

Suddenly, her stomach growled again. She would wait until after lunch. Then, she would have the most time before anyone discovered she was missing. Yuffie moved to her bed, yawning. Just a short nap, and then, she would put her plan into action!

Heh, heh!

Afterwards, they would have no choice but to hand over their materia in thanks! It was a good plan that couldn't go wrong; she was sure of it.

"Hey! Ninja girl! Food's up!" The high-pitched, whiny voice of the guard stirred her out of her dream and into sudden wakefulness. The smell of food made her stomach gurgle hungrily.

Sitting up quickly, Yuffie reached for the plate that was being passed through the tiny slot. She took it gratefully and began to scarf her food down. Having no weapons, she would need all her strength and stealth to carry out her plan. It was a meager meal, only a small sandwich and a glass of water, but she would take what she could get.

She rapped on the door to get their attention before she pushed the now empty metal plate back through the tiny slot. Yuffie heard it clatter to the floor. She smirked satisfactorily. Good. In five hours, they would bring her dinner. She had only that long to get out of her cell, find the others, and somehow escape from ShinRa headquarters.

Piece of cake. Nothing a ninja like her couldn't handle.

Clambering up onto her bed, she reached above her for the grate that covered the air duct. It was bolted down by several screws. Frowning, Yuffie reached into her boots and pulled out a small, long, and flat object. Concentrating intently, she deftly began to unscrew the grating until it was loose enough for her to pull off. It screeched softly as she yanked it out of the ceiling.

Freezing at the sudden sound, Yuffie perked up her ears. Thankfully, no one came to the door demanding to know what was going on. Taking that as a good sign, she quietly pushed the grating up into the duct and off to the side. Then, she reached up with her hands, grasping the sides.

"Here we go," she mumbled under her breath. She gave a great heave and pulled her slight frame up into the air duct. Quietly, she replaced the grating, hoping it would hold up long enough without the screws. She was now faced with a dilemma. Left or right?

Yuffie crouched in the small metal tunnel, head swiveling from side to side. Hmm, a quandary indeed. Both ends were completely dark, save for other grates letting in small spots of light. She did not know where the others were being kept or which direction to even go in.

Sighing angrily, she thought about slamming her fist into the sides of the metal, but no, that would make too much noise. Now was the time for stealth. Nevermind that she had never really mastered that skill.

Glaring at the choices before her, she finally just guessed. Better to head right. Her father had always said that when lost, follow the right wall because it will always led you right. Or was it, left would always led right.

Hm…

Either way, Yuffie took the right path, figuring that she could always crawl backwards if needed.

"Hold on, guys," she vowed quietly as she continued on. "I'm coming."

It was, after all, up to her to save everyone. Well, that and get her materia back.

----

Leave a review before you go, please.


	11. Escape

Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter. 

**Chapter Eleven: Escape**

"Psst! Nanaki!"

The lion-wolf perked his ears as he dozed on the floor of his cell. He could have sworn that he had heard his own name, but perhaps he had just been locked up alone for too long. He huffed silently, trying to drift back into sleep as his tail swished lazily behind him. There was little else to do.

"Yo, fire-mutt, you awake?"

There was the voice again. Convinced he wasn't dreaming, Nanaki opened his eyes and looked around, finding the room as empty as before. He slowly rose to his feet, stretching in a cat-like fashion.

"Up here, you dolt!"

His eyes trailed upwards, discovering a pair of brown eyes gleaming from behind the air duct in the ceiling. He blinked as he instantly recognized that mischievousness.

"Yuffie?" he asked quietly, keeping his voice low just in case there were guards outside his door.

The grate rattled slightly. "Yup. You ready to get out of here?" she questioned. He could hear the giggling, teasing sound in her voice already.

Nanaki scoffed, glancing once at his paws, which were essentially useless for climbing on his own. "And how am I supposed to do that?"

"Easy," she said, laughing softly. Reaching her thin hand through the bars of the grate, she undid the screws and pulled the grate to the side. Yuffie slipped deftly through the opening and landed quietly beside him on the ground.

"Now what?" Nanaki asked.

Yuffie grinned and pointed up at the air duct. "It's pretty small, you can fit. We have to hurry though. They are planning on killing Barret and Reeve!"

Nanaki frowned. "I know. I heard. Where are they?"

Yuffie shrugged, her face falling. "I don't know. You were the first I came across." She grinned, perking up as a sudden thought occurred to her. She brandished her Hawkeye, pulling it from seemingly nowhere.

"But I did find our weapons."

"Do you have my Adaman Clip?" Nanaki asked hopefully, eager to have the return of his weapon and rid himself of the unsettling feeling of being both useless and undefended.

Yuffie beamed as she pulled out a small clip from her pocket, attaching it to his headband. A surge of strength rippled through his body, igniting a rush of energy that nearly made his eyes glow brightly. He growled low in his throat as he stretched his muscles, bathing in the flow of vigor for a moment.

"So whaddya say? You with me in breaking out this joint?" Yuffie inquired with a sly grin as her eyes sparkled. Thieving and sneaking around were what she did best. She couldn't have been happier. Not to mention that if she rescued everyone, they would owe her a debt. She would gladly accept recompense in the form of materia. Yep, that was her master plan.

Nanaki nodded as he crouched on the floor before leaping high into the air. He managed to catch himself on the edge of the air duct and pulled himself inside with a great effort. If it hadn't been for the extra strength provided by the clip, he might not have made it. Yuffie leapt up after him, carefully replacing the grating with a screeching squeal.

Golden eyes scanned the duct, finding it as dark and bleak as he expected an air passage to be. He wondered how Yuffie even knew her way around the small, compact space. His nose twitched at the amount of dust gathered, and he fought to keep from sneezing.

"Which way?" he asked.

She moved off to the right, shrugging her shoulders. "This is the way I was heading." Nanaki hoped that her reasoning was sound as he crept along after her.

It was quiet and cramped quarters. Occasionally, they would pass over another grating where they would peer carefully and silently into the room it revealed. In one, several ShinRa employees were having a little fun on the clock in the break room, putting an interesting dent into the puke green lockers.

Shaking their heads and stifling giggles, the two moved on. They crawled for several minutes, passing by multiple empty rooms, before they finally came upon another occupied one. Yuffie leaned forward and to the side, peeking around the edge. On the other side of the grate, Nanaki did the same.

Inside, they saw a man with vivid red hair and aquamarine eyes. It was Reno!

He was polishing his Electro Rod in what appeared to be personal quarters. He was mumbling softly to himself and flexing his hands nervously. After eyeing him for a moment, Yuffie belatedly noticed that the mighty Turk was trembling ever-so-slightly, apparently fighting the action. Curious as to his behavior and dying to know what he was saying, the two inched closer to the grate. Finally, the Turks quiet mutterings reached their ears.

"They're actually going to execute him! Him, Reeve, a member of the board. They're going to kill him!" Reno unexpectedly jumped to his feet and started pacing, his nightstick still in hand. "They're going to kill him, but I won't let that happen!" he said with unexpected passion. "I'm going to save him, yo!" he finished triumphantly, eyes shining. "Then, we escape through the vents." His eyes twitched upwards, but the spying pair had already moved away.

Yuffie and Nanaki exchanged a startled glance, shocked by Reno's words and suddenly reminded of their mission. Slowly, they back away from the grate, continuing on their way. They continued past several more rooms, but none of them contained prisoners. It appeared that there was no order to the way that the cells were arranged.

Another grate and this time they found themselves above a hallway that contained two guards standing in front of a door. There was writing on it, but the men's bodies were in the way. So instead, Yuffie and Nanaki decided to eavesdrop.

One man, a pale redhead shuddered as he paced in front of the room. "I would hate to be in there now."

The other, a brunette with rather long hair, nodded. "Yeah, that man has always given me the creeps. Always mumbling under his breath and smiling evilly." He shuddered visibly, clutching tighter to the ShinRa issued shotgun in his hands.

"I hear he's real excited now. Whatever went down at the crater, and plus, he got his favorite toy back," the redhead commented. "The man's a freaking psycho."

Yuffie and Nanaki exchanged glances. Were they talking about Hojo?

The knob on the door behind them turned, and both guards snapped to attention, scrambling to stand on either side of the door. It opened as a young brunette female walked out, a smug smile on her face. She let the door slam shut as she ignored the two soldiers, calmly continuing on her way, her hips attempting to way seductively.

Yuffie had to stifle an angry gasp and cut down on the urge to leap out of the air duct and pummel the brunette into the ground. Man, she hated that bitch's guts. Tifa deserved to die. The girl had already visited Yuffie twice since they were held by ShinRa, each time bringing along two guards so that the ninja was forced to suffer her abuse. She was just itching for some payback.

But that also gave them the opportunity to see what was written on the door.

_Laboratory 05_.

The two friends exchanged another glance, this one filled with worry. Even if no one was in there, it was worth a look.

Redhead shook his head in disgust. "And that cold bitch pretended to be friends with that poor guy, too."

"You hate her, eh?" his fellow guard questioned.

"Yeah. I mean, fuck, who needs enemies when you got allies like that?" he shot back heatedly. "I may be in ShinRa, but I got values, ya know?"

His friend nodded sympathetically. "So how's the search for a better job going?"

"Not so good. There ain't much better than being a soldier, despite the rotten pay and hours."

The doorknob turned again, and the men were forced to be silent. The door opened, and a dark-haired man with a ponytail and glasses came creeping out, looking every bit the mad scientist. He took out a small silver key and locked the door, not to mention taking the time to input a code into the electrical system.

Hojo tittered, "No one enters or leaves unless it is I. Understood?" He leered at them, gazing at each of them intently. He had a bandage on one of his cheeks, blood appearing to seep through the white strips. Something had gotten a hold of him, most likely one of his experiments. It wouldn't have been the first time.

"Yes, sir!" the two soldiers exclaimed, saluting quickly. If one listened carefully, he or she would hear the slight treble of fear in their voices.

The mad scientist laughed, pushing up his glasses with the tip of one finger. "Good. After all, I am looking for more human subjects. Don't fail." He turned on his heels and headed down the hall in the opposite direction of Tifa.

"Let's go. We must see what Hojo is hiding in his laboratory," Nanaki said quietly.

Yuffie nodded. "I agree. Come on."

She moved past him, heading for one of the smaller side ducts that she hoped led to the room. It sloped gradually downwards allowing her to slide to the bottom. Once there, it split into two directions, seemingly forming a box. Yuffie took one, while Nanaki took the other, silently creeping along. At the first grating, she could see nothing but an empty lab table and some lab equipment. The room was stark and metallic and completely quiet, every bit the kind of place she pictured for someone like Hojo.

Meanwhile, Nanaki was having a bit more luck. The first grate he came upon, he saw what Hojo had been hiding. His face instantly saddened, but at least, they had found another of their friends.

Vincent was lying unconscious on one of the tables, blood dribbling from his lips. His hair was disheveled across his face, the headband and cloak in a crumpled pile on the floor. His chest rose and fell slowly, but his face appeared to be shadowed, as if he had been struck several times and the bruises were already fading. On closer examination, Nanaki noticed that he had been chained down. The fire-wolf didn't even want to consider what had been going on in the lab.

"Psst, Nanaki, you find anything?" Yuffie questioned, creeping up behind him.

He did not answer, only sadly looking down at their broken friend. Yuffie moved past him, following his gaze.

"Fuckin' Hojo," the little ninja swore. "I'm going to kick his ass!"

"Another time," Nanaki cut in. "We must get him out of there."

"Right." Yuffie nodded. She quickly started unscrewing the grate, moving it to the side when she was finished. Quietly, she dropped down into the lab, Nanaki landing silently beside her.

It was deserted. Apparently, Hojo preferred to work alone.

Yuffie quickly got to work on the metal cuffs around Vincent's wrists and ankles, pulling a tiny pin out of one of her pockets. Nanaki roamed around, trying to gather more information. His nose twitched at the antiseptic odor and the distinct underlying scent of blood… lots of it. His stomach twisted queasily.

"Hey, Vinny, wake up," Yuffie said softly, trying not to make too much noise. She didn't want the guards to hear and come investigate, if they even could with all the other alarm systems Hojo had prepared.

The dark-haired gunman groaned and moved his head restlessly but did not open his eyes.

"Come on, Vin, wake up," she urged again.

"My name… is Vincent," the gunman muttered, his voice raw and gravelly. He opened his eyes, crimson meeting brown. She smiled at him as she worked on the two wrist chains, having already defeated the leg chains.

"Where… What… " Vincent furrowed his brow in confusion. The last thing he remembered was being taken to a cell after President Rufus had "rescued" them from the crater.

Yuffie shook her head, concentrating only on the arm cuffs. "I guess that answers the question if you remember anything," she responded softly. "You're in a laboratory in Junon." She looked up then, the metal links falling to the ground as the former Turk sat up, running a gloved hand through his hair. He felt inexplicably dizzy, and there was a foul taste in his mouth.

"That is probably for the best," Nanaki intoned, padding up beside Yuffie. He placed Vincent's cloak and headband in the man's lap with one rather agile clawed foot. "Hojo isn't worth recalling.

Crimson eyes flashed with an unholy fire as his hands immediately balled into fists. "Hojo?" he hissed, leaping up off the lab table with his usual grace. "That bastard was near me?"

Nanaki and Yuffie exchanged somewhat alarmed looks at the fire brewing behind Vincent's eyes. The fire-lion opened his mouth to respond, but he was interrupted by the sound of a commotion outside the door. There was the noise of conversation and then the sound of feet walking away. Yuffie reacted quickly, hefting up her shuriken and plastering a determined expression on her face as she stood to the side of the entrance.

Vincent automatically reached for his gun but sighed when he realized that he didn't have it. He flexed the golden claws of his left hand then; it would be enough to cause some serious damage. He set his sights on the door, praying with everything inside of him that it was Hojo and that he could wreak his revenge. He hated the blank slate within his mind. Just because he couldn't remember what had happened didn't make it right.

The three waited in silence, fully prepared to do battle.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and a ShinRa officer stepped inside. Yuffie moved to attack the lone officer, but he noticed her movement and froze her in her tracks with a Stop spell. Kicking the door shut behind him, the officer held forth his easily recognized weapon as he pulled off his helmet, discarding it to the side with a loud clatter.

"Cid!" Nanaki and Vincent exclaimed at the same moment. Yuffie would have done the same had she been able to move.

The pilot grinned, looking towards Yuffie apologetically as he tugged at the high ShinRa collar with one calloused finger. "Sorry, but I didn't want to get bashed over the head."

"You escaped, too?" Nanaki questioned. "Yuffie was the one who rescued me."

"Yeah," Cid answered, scratching his head before he reached for a cigarette and promptly inserted it between his lips, lighting up with flair. "I overpowered this guard and stole his clothes. I had heard that they took Vince here and came to get him. They gonna kill Barret and Reeve."

Nanaki nodded. "We know. Do you know where they took them?"

"Reeve is to be gassed. Um, I think Barret gets something different. They are both on the lower floors, but the execution is to take place on the floor above us."

The gunman stepped forward. "We need an escape plan," Vincent intoned from behind his cloak. He had managed to reattach it and put his hair in its proper position. But his eyes still burned with furious wrath.

"Oh, here ya go Vince," the pilot said, tossing the gunman his Lariat. Vincent caught it easily, checking for ammunition before slipping it into holster. "I want my damn airship back, so I'm planning on stealing it. We can use it to get away."

The lion-wolf hmm'ed in thought. "And what of Barret and Reeve?"

"I can get Reeve!" Yuffie exclaimed excitedly, performing a little bob and bounce as the Stop spell finally wore off. "He is small enough to fit in the vents," she added, recalling what Reno had mentioned earlier. That was something she planned on teasing Reeve about mercilessly later.

Vincent sighed aloud. "I suppose that I still know enough of stealth to infiltrate. I can find the dumb lout and rescue him." Honestly, he had contemplated just leaving the man to his doom, payback for all the vampy comments. Then again, he didn't need any more sins on his head nor for them to find a reason to distrust him further. He had yet to find Hojo in a suitable place for killing. The crater would not have had the effect he desired.

"Then, it's settled." Cid nodded, scooping the discarded helmet off the floor and replacing it back on his head, though he couldn't help the disproving scowl. It reeked of the previous soldier's sweat. "Nanaki, you follow me in the vents, and we'll go rescue the fuckin' Highwind. Yuffie, you take the vents to find Reeve, and, Vincent…" He paused, waving a hand of dismissal. "You have your ways."

Yuffie frowned, forehead pinching. "Where should I look?"

Glancing at his watch, Cid contemplated. "They should be starting Reeve's execution around now. The air vents lead to the gas chamber. Go back to the main one and follow it to the right. It will eventually start to climb. At the top, it should split four ways, take the third. You can find Reeve there."

Yuffie nodded before eyeing him skeptically. "How do you know so much about the air ducts in this place anyway?" she asked as she pulled up a chair and stood on it, reaching up to remove the grate from the air duct.

A disgusted expression crossed the pilot's face, but it wasn't directed at Yuffie. "Fuckin' ShinRa made my work on 'em back when I did maintenance." He mumbled something else underneath his breath, but no one could quite catch it.

"Oh." And with that, Yuffie hopped up into the vents, Nanaki following closely behind.

The two men helped to reattach the grate once they were inside, and after they were gone, the blond turned to Vincent. He saw relief and gratitude in the gunman's face, even though Cid hadn't exactly done anything.

"Barret is more than likely still in lock down. He should be in his cell," the pilot said, looking into the blank face of the gunman. "Think you can do it?"

Vincent sighed. "Gift or curse, I cannot say, but the shadows will be my allies. The only problem will be getting the dolt back out. He isn't exactly well known for his tact and stealth skills."

Cid laughed softly. "True enough." His face darkened then, taking on a more solemn approach. Sky blue eyes raked over the laboratory before settling on his new friend once more. "Are you all right?"

The gunman grimaced. "I honestly can't say," he responded, golden and clawed fingers flexing at his side. He shook his head, changing the subject. "We haven't much time; we need to get going."

Cid searched his face before nodding, and the two headed for the door. The pilot reached for his spear as he left first, Vincent placing a cautionary hand on his gun. The door to Laboratory 05 opened, and the pair stepped out into a mostly empty hallway, save for the two sleeping guards.

It was here that they parted ways, Cid to the right and Vincent to the left. If they listened closely, they could hear the sounds of their friends scrambling in the air ducts above them.

------

"Alright, traitor. It's time." The gruff voice of his guard woke the ex-executive from his short nap. He looked around blearily, noticing that three ShinRa soldiers stood in front of his tiny metal cot.

"Huh?" he muttered, struggling to sit up as he blinked the sleep from his eyes. His entire body ached from the hardy cot, and he had a crick in his neck. No one had given him any information on what was going on, despite Archer's attempts to get through.

The soldier in the middle, obviously the one in charge with the bright red uniform laughed mockingly. "Doncha remember? Today's your execution."

Reeve sat up straight, completely awake. He felt his breath still in his throat. Execution? When had they decided he was to be executed? What about his friends; were they to be executed as well?

They gave him no more time to ponder on this, however, quickly grabbing his arms and roughly pulling him off the bed, shoving his arms behind his back. As the cuffs clinked shut, Reeve's brain snapped into action.

"Wait. I don't remember anything about an execution."

The man in the middle sneered. "New orders from the President. ShinRa don't take kindly to traitors. Now get going!" He harshly shoved Reeve in the back, pushing him towards the open door.

The ex-executive stumbled forward and out the door. He could hear the three soldiers behind him. Outside, another two soldiers were waiting, his escort to the execution. He paused out in the hallway, wondering if there was anyway he could escape from the five guards.

There was another violent shove in the back, and Reeve shook his head in disgust. Not a chance. Without his knives, he may as well have been helpless. He followed the two soldiers in front of him, grimly accepting his fate. A single thought ran through his mind as they led him to his death.

'_Reno…'_

- - -

Barret paced back and forth in his cell, unable to do much else. He was really starting to get pissed off. Seven days of this lonely monotony. He had not heard anything about his other friends, Tifa had betrayed them, and Cloud could either be dead or alive; no one really knew. He hadn't had any company for the past few days except for the damned mocking guards, and now, he was hearing vague rumors through the door that he did not even want to contemplate.

"Damn!" he cursed angrily, throwing himself down on the bed, not that he could sleep anymore. He had had enough of that. "I can't take this shit anymore." His stomach grumbled hungrily, agreeing with him.

After a moment, he shoved up from the bed, feeling incredible restless. "Hey!" he yelled, beating his fist on the door to the cell. "Where's my fuckin' meal?"

A small panel slid open, and a pair of eyes looked at him from behind a familiar ShinRa helmet. "Stop griping. You are a prisoner in case you've forgotten," the officer answered, the one that stood guard over his cell.

"I'm #$ hungry!" Barret insisted.

The guard laughed. "That won't be much of a problem soon. Once they are finished with the other, it's your turn." He slid the panel shut, but Barret could still hear the laughter through the door.

"Hey! What the &!#$ hell do you mean?" Barret demanded, pounding on the door again.

All he could hear was more laughter. It pissed him off. He struck the door angrily with his fist, not even making a dent as he stomped over to his bed and plopped down. The thick mattress creaked angrily in protest beneath him.

"Fuckin' assholes," he muttered as he tried to understand the soldier's vague words.

Tch! Cloud was the strategist, not him. What in the hell was he to do?

"You just wait till I get my ammo back! You'll see what's &!#$ funny then!" the gun-armed man vowed loudly, bellowing at the door.

The sound of upraised laughter was the only response he got. Barret shook his head in disgust, but then, there came the sound of a silenced pistol followed by two heavy thumps. His eyes widened.

What the hell was going on?

He climbed to his feet quickly and listened intently at the door, but he couldn't hear anything. Suddenly, there was the scratching of a key in the lock. He stood on the opposite of the door, ready to strike at whatever was coming in, determined to get the fuck out of this place if it killed him.

The door swayed open quickly, and a man stepped inside. Barret growled as he swung, but the man was too quick. There was a flash of red as the intruder ducked and rolled away, avoiding his wild strike.

"Idiot!" Vincent yelled as he rolled to his feet, cloak swirling around him. "Maybe I ought to leave you to rot!"

Barret looked at him with a stupid expression on his face, unable to process what was happening. "Vampy?"

Scarlet eyes narrowed as the former Turk growled, tossing the other man the energy packet for his Microlaser. "Don't call me that," he snarled coolly, inwardly irritated that he had to be the one to rescue the idiot.

"Whatever." Barret snorted, waving a hand of dismissal as he caught the packet easily. "How the hell did you get out?"

"Long story," Vincent muttered, heading for the door. He peeked out, trying to determine if there was anyone coming, but the corridors were empty. "We have to get out of here and meet Cid at the airstrip."

Barret grunted wordlessly, still somewhat miffed that it had been Vampy to rescue him. He would have preferred to save himself.

"What about the others?" he questioned, hurriedly fixing his weapon. He grinned when he felt the surge of power run through his Microlaser and flexed his muscles.

Vincent sighed and rolled his eyes, though the motion was hidden behind the high collar of his cloak. "Nanaki and Cid have gone to find the airship. Yuffie is on her way to retrieve Reeve. I still know nothing of Cloud."

"And Tifa?"

"Who the hell cares about her?" the gunman snapped, red eyes flashing. He reloaded and cocked his gun, preparing to go back out into the hallway. "Are you coming or not?" he asked impatiently.

Barret sniffed. "Yeah, I'm fuckin' coming. Never woulda guessed that it would be you saving me though."

"Believe me. It wasn't my choice," Vincent muttered in response. He peeked out the door again as Barret dragged the bodies of the two soldiers inside the cell, making a horrible racket. Apparently, no one had noticed the commotion.

They slipped out of the cell that had once held Barret and locked it behind them. Vincent took the lead, knowing the way out. He hoped that he could get the AVALANCHE leader to the others without any problems.

However, his hope disappeared a few moments later. There was the piercing whine of an alarm accompanied by flashing red and orange lights. It made his stomach flip flop.

Junon was going on full alert.

"What the hell?" Barret demanded.

Vincent shook his head. "Either they have discovered we are missing…" His eyes narrowed menacingly. "…Or something else is happening. Regardless, we have to get out of here."

- - -

Yuffie crawled tiredly through the ducts, her elbows and knees threatening to give out on her. It wasn't easy to climb straight uphill along the smooth surfaces of the ducts, but the little ninja had managed. Luckily, she had found a room filled with weapons earlier. She had decided then that she had best get Reeve something and had found a whole stock of throwing knives; they were perfect for the ex-executive. She had pocketed them before climbing back up in the ducts.

Now, she was looking down into the small room that served as the viewing area. A strong metal door was against the far wall, the entrance to the gas chamber. There were few people in the room: Scarlet, Tifa, a news crew, and three or four ShinRa soldiers. She couldn't see Reeve anywhere, but the light was on over the gas chamber door.

Damn! They had started early. They weren't supposed to gas him for another twenty minutes according to one of the guards the she had overheard. The Wutaiian groaned, hoping that she still wasn't too late.

Kicking viciously at the grate covering the air duct, Yuffie worked to get out, readying her Hawkeye. The grating fell with a loud clatter as she nimbly dropped down. A group of surprised people stared at her, and she quickly threw the Hawkeye, knocking out the ShinRa soldiers in seconds.

"How the hell did you escape your room," Scarlet screamed as she and Tifa advanced on the ninja. Her pale face flushed red with fury.

"Where is Reeve?" Yuffie countered as she quickly caught the Hawkeye on its return flight.

"You are too late." Tifa smirked. "Even now, he is slowly choking to death on poisonous gas." She shifted smoothly into her fighting position, brown eyes mocking Yuffie as her hip cocked to the side.

Yuffie raised her Hawkeye threateningly, narrowing her own eyes in fury. "Let him out! Or I'll take great pleasure in hurting you."

Scarlet opened her mouth to respond but was startled by the sound of alarms going off. There was a whirl of bright orange and red lights.

"Weapon is attacking," she breathed, rather horrified, glancing up at the flashing alarms. That was her first and last mistake as the ninja used the opportunity to strike, hitting the blonde across the face and knocking her unconscious.

"Stupid bitch!" Tifa screamed as she attacked. Yuffie ducked and rolled, avoiding the girl's powerful fists.

Yuffie quickly performed a move that Tifa could not have been prepared for. Within moments, the traitor had joined Scarlet on the floor, now unconscious.

'_Hehe! Wutai sleep gas sure worked wonders,'_ the little ninja thought to herself as she quickly stepped on Tifa and ran towards the gas chamber, jumping up to catch onto the ledge that would allow her to see inside. She could see Reeve, and he was all right. Somehow, he had gotten free of his bonds and turned off the gas. He was now looking around, completely confused, and she beat on the glass to grab his attention.

"Get me out of here!" he yelled, coming up to the window. A few coughs accompanied the shout. It seemed that he had inhaled some of the gas.

Yuffie nodded and jumped down, reaching for the handle. It didn't want to budge.

"I can't move it," she announced sorrowfully.

"Look for a latch or something," Reeve responded, his voice muffled from his thick sleeve.

She nodded again, chewing on her bottom lip in frustration. "It may be controlled from another room. I'll be right back."

"Hurry." The word was followed by several more coughs, all dry and hacking.

Yuffie rushed across the room, heading straight for the exit. It burst open, and she dashed outside. However, she paused, wondering which direction to head, and the door suddenly slammed shut behind her with a defining click.

"What?" the ninja turned and reached for the knob, finding it locked tight.

Tifa cackled loudly from the other side, having fought off the effects of the sleeping gas. Yuffie groaned, realizing she had probably used too light of a dose.

"You're too late!"

Yuffie growled and stomped her feet. She would have to find another way into the room. Glancing up, she spotted another air duct and smiled. It was a tried and true method at least.

- - -

Reeve hoped that Yuffie would be able to find a way to get him out. His head was still light-headed from the little bit of gas that he had breathed in. Thank goodness the clumsy guard had dropped the key to his bonds nearby when he had left the room. Otherwise, Reeve would be dead by now.

He coughed as his eyes searched the room again. Perhaps there was a lever on the inside?

Suddenly, something struck the gas chamber, sending it into such a violent tremble that he fell to the ground, unable to stand on shaky limbs. He closed his eyes as he covered his head until the shuddering ceased. Bright light shone on his eyelids, and he felt and scented a breath of fresh air. Reeve opened his amber eyes and saw that a large portion of the outer wall was now missing, a _very_ large portion. He dared one last look out the window of the door but didn't see Yuffie anywhere. He would take his chances with the gaping hole.

Reeve grasped hold of the walls as he climbed out, wishing that he had his knives at the moment. He felt unprotected without a weapon of any sort. Still, he shook off the feeling, scaling down the front of the building with the wind threatening to tear him from the walls. Above him, he heard the startled shouts of Tifa and the guards. He briefly wondered what had happened to that bitch Scarlet, but at the moment, he didn't particularly care. They started climbing down after him, forcing him to go faster.

His breath rattled through his lungs, burning as it went.

He reached for the next handhold and suddenly lost his grip. Reeve slid down, landing with gracelessly on the enormous gun ShinRa had attached to the front of Junon, the Sister Ray. There was nowhere to go but out as Tifa and the soldiers followed in his footsteps, so he pushed himself up and clambered to his feet, running along the length of the gun, seeing no other options.

"Stop right there!" Tifa ordered, but there was no way in hell he was going to listen.

Reeve put on a burst of speed, expensive shoes slapping against the metal of the gun and threatening to lose traction. He could still hear the alarms going off all around Junon and briefly wondered what had caused the hole in the wall of the gas chamber. Yet, all the while, his lungs felt as though they were on fire. Even that little bit of gas seemed to be far too much.

"Shit!" Reeve cursed aloud as he skidded to a stop, gasping for air. He had run out of cannon. He whirled around to face Tifa as she halted behind him, smirking at his plight.

"You can run, but you can't ever escape ShinRa," she taunted, balling up her fist. "You should have realized that the first time you tried to get away from us."

Reeve shook his head in disgust, frowning at the brunette. The wind whipped fiercely around them, the smell of salt on the air from the ocean and the dark smoke of fires following in its wake.

"How could you… do that… to your friends, Tifa?" he wheezed out between haggard breaths. "Those that… trusted you? Even I… never sank as low as that… to attempt to murder them." He clutched a hand to his aching chest.

Tifa's eyes sparkled with mirth as she cracked her knuckles. "Cloud always was such a naïve little thing, wasn't he? He believed you, after all."

Reeve's gaze danced around wildly. He needed a way out. Tifa had her metal gloves and materia, while he not only had nothing to fight with but was unable to breathe. She was powerful. and there was no way he could beat her with the available resources. But wait… he saw something behind the brunette.

Smiling sardonically, the ex-executive tried to stall for time. "But Cloud… he cared for you."

Tifa snarled. "Don't give me that bullshit. He'd been in love with that prissy flower-girl from day one. Besides, I am after power, and Rufus can supply that. Cloud was a weakling ex-SOLDIER, one who would never amount to anything."

"You speak… as if you know… he is dead."

Tifa shrugged, her eyes flashing. "Who really cares, after all? No one can save you now," she hissed as she leapt at Reeve, intending to beat the pulp out of him.

He twisted his body desperately, trying to avoid her Haste-enhanced attacks. She managed to strike him in the shoulder, and he heard something crack.

"Damn!" he cursed aloud, grabbing his arm and then his chest once more. It felt like he had been struck with a heavy iron or something equally painful.

Tifa smirked again as she dropped to her knees and swept out with her feet, kicking his own out from under him. He toppled to the ground, landing hard on his injured shoulder. Lights danced in front of his eyes from the pain, and all the air he had managed to acquire was forced from his damaged lungs. It now felt as though hot knives were stabbing him in the chest.

Tifa towered over him and kicked him viciously in the ribs, only making it that much harder to find air. He curled up in a ball to protect himself. Blinking bleary eyes, Reeve couldn't help but smile. No one could save him now, eh?

"What are you smiling about?" Tifa demanded, glaring down at him.

Reeve coughed, hearing what sounded like blood in his lungs. "You… really should… learn to… _duck_," he muttered.

She looked at him in confusion, cocking her head to the side. "What?"

Seconds later, she was pummeled as a young ninja tackled her from behind. They crashed down, kicking, punching, and pulling hair. Tifa screamed as she was scratched across the face with Yuffie's incredibly sharp nails. The ninja was yelling obscenities at the brunette, among other things.

Reeve struggled to his feet, only making it to his knees before his vision blackened and pain lanced through his chest. He started to fall forward but managed to catch himself with an outstretched hand. He glanced upward, gazing at the fight carefully. Luckily, it appeared that Yuffie was winning.

The wind around them kicked up even more violently when he heard the sound of an airship or helicopter. Turning on his knees, Reeve found the Highwind hovering just a few feet away from the end of the cannon. Barret and Nanaki were on the deck.

"Grab the rope!" Barret hollered as he tossed the twisted coil over the side.

Reeve staggered to his feet, managing to ignore most of the pain in his body as he ran towards Yuffie, who was sitting on top of Tifa's stomach. He viciously punched the traitor in the face and yanked on the ninja's arms, dragging her towards the end of the cannon.

"We'll… have to… jump it," he yelled in her ear, over the sound of the airship.

"No problem." Yuffie grinned. She took a few steps back then ran forward, leaping grandly for the flailing rope. She caught it easily as she began to climb.

Reeve dared a look behind them and saw a bloody but still very much conscious Tifa rising to her feet. She angrily wiped blood from her chin.

Not wanting to see what else she would do, Reeve decided to make a jump for it as well. He got a running start, moving as quickly as his battered lungs would allow and leaping high when he reached the edge of the cannon. His shoulder burned as he reached for the rope, narrowly catching it. His injured joint screamed with the agony, but he forced himself to hold on. There was no way he was going to be able to climb it.

The ex-executive looked down at a furious Tifa as the airship moved slowly away.

They had escaped from ShinRa's clutches.

But what the hell had happened to Cloud?

-----

Review, please. Thanks for reading.


	12. Shifting the Balance

**Chapter Twelve: Shifting the Balance**

"He is not dead!" Cid argued, slamming his fist on the table in the conference room. The pilot glared angrily at the faces present, blue eyes flashing.

"Then where is he?" Barret shot back fiercely, rising to his feet as the legs of his chair scraped loudly across the floor. "He wasn't at the crater! Fuck's sake man, he fell into the Lifestream!"

Cid stuttered as he fell back into his seat. "I don't know, dammit," he admitted, automatically reaching for a cigarette. "But that doesn't mean he's dead."

"Look," Yuffie began, gathering the attention of everyone. "I want to find Cloud just as much as everyone, but where can we even begin to look?"

No one offered up a suggestion, just looking down glumly at the table. It had been two days since they had all escaped from ShinRa's clutches in Junon and five days since Meteor had first appeared in the sky, a glowing red ball of doom. Sephiroth had gone through with his plan, summoning destruction from heaven. The sight of it in the sky only served to show them of their failure in stopping the crazed ex-General.

Since then, they had been scouring the world for Cloud. They had checked the crater first since that was the last place they had seen their spiky-headed leader. However, they had unfortunately discovered the massive energy barrier that Sephiroth had erected around himself. They had no chance of getting past it. If Cloud was within, they had no hope of rescuing him.

Now, they sat around the table in the meeting room of the Highwind, trying to decide what to do. Other than Vincent, that is. The broody ex-Turk was leaning against the wall closest to the door, red eyes solemnly taking it all in.

Cid was the most steadfast, insisting that Cloud had not died. It was mostly because the task of leader had fallen to him, and he really was not prepared for it nor did he want the power. But the others had insisted that he was the best for the job. In all honesty, he was the only one for the job. Vincent could lead, but the chances that they would actually listen to him were only slightly better than the chances that Rude would declare his undying love for Shera.

Besides, it was Cid's airship that they used, not to mention that the crew had basically mutinied against ShinRa, refusing to work for anyone other than him from now on. It was actually kind of amusing how they still referred to him as Captain. Cid was just pleased to have his airship back, but he could have done without the stressful responsibilities of being leader. He constantly worried that he would make the wrong decision, that somewhere, someway, he would screw it all up. He didn't know how Cloud handled all the pressure. No wonder the blond was a literal basket case.

Nanaki suddenly cleared his throat. "I think I may have an idea."

"Spit it out then, for Planet's sake," Cid spat out angrily, having little to no patience. His short-temperedness was noted by crimson eyes, which narrowed in thought.

Nanaki shook his head at the pilot before continuing, nonplussed by his vehemence. "My grandfather may know where we can find Cloud. He always talked about places where the Lifestream gushes up. If Cloud indeed fell into it, we might be able to find him at one of these locations. Unfortunately, I do not remember them," he finished with an idle shrug.

"So," Yuffie reiterated, "we just go to Cosmo Canyon and ask old Bugey ourselves." She pumped a fist into the air, clearly pleased with her friend's idea.

Barret harrumphed, shooting her a stern glare. "Learn respect for your elders!" he snapped at the ninja.

She stuck out her tongue in response. "Ah, can it!" she huffed, crossing her arms angrily.

"Shut up!" Cid snapped, finally reaching his limit as his voice roared and echoed around the conference room. He rubbed his head furiously, already feeling a headache developing, one that the cigarette he was madly puffing on did nothing to ease. It seemed that this had been happening a lot lately. He did not know how Cloud put up with it all.

Barret and Yuffie stared at him, surprised. Cid had always been rather short-tempered, but it didn't usually take so little.

"Cosmo Canyon, it is then," the Captain continued tiredly.

"It shouldn't take long," Reeve commented quietly. Among everyone, it seemed he had been the most subdued, not participating in any of the arguments. If he had been wearing black, he might have been confused for Vincent. "We are hovering over Rocket Town right now."

Cid huffed, waving his hands in dismissal. "Fine, fine, whatever." He pulled his cigarette from his mouth, putting it out against the burnished tabletop. "Go do something until we get there. I don't care what." He turned his attentions to Yuffie, narrowing his eyes. "Just don't &!#$ TOUCH anything."

She stared back indignantly. "I don't want anything that belongs to your crummy old airship anyways," she commented with a haughty sniff as she jumped up from the table and headed for the door.

Cid didn't respond. He just furiously rubbed the same spot on his head, eyes closed. His shoulders were slumped with weariness, face seeming even more age-lined and creased. He looked like a man on the edge of his ropes, stretched thin. The others took their cues to leave. It appeared that the frustrated pilot just wanted to be left alone.

Only Vincent remained, calm, thoughtful eyes watching the pilot. He hadn't really had the opportunity to talk to Cid. The airship had plenty of rooms, so no one had to share at all. Ever since that night in Icicle Inn, the two of them had not had a moment alone, save those few seconds in Laboratory Five, and now, Cid looked like he really needed a break.

Not that the separation had done anything for erasing the pilot from Vincent's mind. He had done nothing but think of Cid and that night for the past few days. How the blond had tasted and sounded; how his skin felt and the sensation of being buried deep inside of him. The warmth of his emotions and the depth of looking into sky blue eyes left him feeling like a lovesick moron.

Despite his misgivings and knowing that he shouldn't, he _wanted._ He wanted Cid; he wanted that feeling again, and in many ways, he wanted to toss aside his vengeance and attempt to be human, to find what he used to be beneath the scars and the monsters and the pain. But it was a useless, a foolish desire that made him question his true wants and needs. He was confused, plainly put, and Vincent wasn't sure how to handle his puzzlement.

Yet, even more so, despite all that, the sight of Cid looking so weary and worn struck a chord inside of him, something that hadn't stirred or warmed since he had woken from his long sleep. He wanted to be of comfort to his friend, even if he knew that honestly there was nothing he could do.

"I know you're still standing there," the blond commented wearily, his voice cutting through the gunman's thoughts. Cid opened his eyes and lifted his head slightly, blue eyes meeting crimson.

"It's been a week, Cid," Vincent stated quietly, refusing to move or look away.

Cid sighed, seemingly downcast. "I know," he stated finally. He was the first to tear his eyes away from the gunman as he thrust himself wearily up from the table to wander over to the window.

"Then why?"

"I don't want this," Cid murmured, all traces of his normally brash and uncouth behavior gone. He reached up with one hand, a finger trailing lightly over the smooth, cold glass. Freedom was just beyond his reach. "Didn't ask for it. Hell, it isn't even my battle to fight."

Chewing his lip with indecision, Vincent didn't respond. Instead, he pushed himself off the wall and moved silently towards the window. He stood next to Cid, a mere hairsbreadth away, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared out through the glass as well. The scenery was rapidly flying by beneath them, and the sky was pure blue, just like Cid's eyes.

"What will you do, in the end, when all hope is lost?" He didn't know why such solemn and pessimistic words tumbled from his lips, but he found he couldn't really say what he wanted, so he settled for what he knew and was used to. It was safer that way. And that was what he wanted, wasn't it?

Cid shook his head, closing his eyes. "I don't know." His head still hurt, this group having quite the knack for handing out headaches. But he was feeling slightly better. Being close to the gunman had a calming effect on him, despite inwardly wanting more than friendship. He had already forgiven the events from before, and now, he just wanted Vincent to realize what they had and what they could still be.

Almost every night for the past few days, he had been waking up with nearly wet sheets. He hadn't done that since he was a fuckin' teenager, just discovering his attraction to males. The &#$ erotic dreams would not let him alone, just another reason he was stressed out. No sleep, horny as fuck, and a group of children flying around in an airship searching for a lost cause, all under his command.

Cid sighed audibly.

"We will find him," Vincent said softly, in a tone that could almost be counted as encouraging was it not coming from him.

"Tch," the pilot muttered. His hand returned to his face, rubbing the same spot. If he kept that up, he was going to give himself a bruise.

There was a rustling of cloth, barely audible, and then Cid felt a heavy weight on his shoulders, the left heavier than the right. He smelled something spicy and mysterious, a scent he had come to recognize as being unique to Vincent. No matter what: after battle, having just woken up, trekking across the ground for days… the gunman never lost that enigmatic scent and flavor. It was intoxicating. He opened his eyes, realizing that Vincent was standing directly behind him.

"What are you--" Cid began, entirely perplexed. This was the conference room; anyone could walk in, not to mention it was almost venturing beyond the realm of their friendship.

"Shh," Vincent hushed. He stepped closer, sliding his arms down to pull Cid into a warm and comforting embrace. The pilot fit quite neatly into his arms, being four inches shorter than him. It was a guilty pleasure for the former Turk to touch what he had assured himself he could not have again.

Cid relaxed into his touch, allowing himself to rest comfortably against Vincent's chest. He closed his eyes, letting out a small sigh. This was a side of the gunman that he had not seen before and had never thought he ever would. Whatever had possessed him to be so comforting, Cid hoped it never went away. He always knew Vincent was human beneath it all; he just wished the others would understand it as well.

But as much as he wanted to never move from the position he also knew that they couldn't stay that way. "The others…"

"Have all gone to do 'something', just as you commanded," the ex-Turk finished, his breath puffing against Cid's ears as he continued to stare out the window. "You don't have to say or do anything. Just relax for a moment; you need it."

The blond sighed audibly, giving in to what he desired. He relaxed in the gunman's arms, looking solemnly out the window. They were just clearing Mt. Nibel and the surrounding mountain range. Soon, they would be over Cosmo Canyon. Until then, he could enjoy this time. But still, he felt he had to say something.

"Why?" Cid asked softly, not needing to explain further.

Vincent exhaled, the other man feeling the small puff of air against his hair. "There are many things I do not understand, Highwind, and this is one of them."

"So, it is _Highwind_ again?"

Vincent did not answer. In truth, he had no idea what he would say. Parts of him wanted to draw the stubborn pilot in for a lengthy and breath-taking kiss. And other parts of him wanted to run screaming from the room, as far away from the risk as he could manage. There was a war in his icy and protected heart, and the outcome was anyone's guess.

"Is it that hard, Vince?" Cid questioned. He paused as he considered his statement, choosing to elaborate a bit further. "To let it go, I mean. You don't have to understand everything. Sometimes, you just gotta live."

For a moment, the gunman was quiet as he mulled the words over in his mind. He tightened his hold on the pilot as the words flowed from some unknown place.

"Can sins… be forgiven?" he asked abruptly, the question seemingly entirely unrelated (1).

"Uh…" Cid wasn't entirely sure how to answer that. He wasn't a deep, philosophical thinker, and it made him want to scratch his head. He wasn't particularly religious either, more of a science man, so the query perplexed him on many fronts.

Vincent shook his head, amused by the pilot's response; he hadn't really expected anything more. "Never mind. Forget I asked."

"But--"

"No. It is not important," the dark-haired man insisted.

Silence fell, but the moment was more relaxed than tense with both men lost to their own thoughts. Finally, Cid shifted restlessly. Vincent had his arms wrapped loosely around him but still managed to convey the idea that he was not going to release him anytime soon.

"Let me go, Vince," the blond ordered softly. It wasn't so much that he wanted to be free, but that he worried about the repercussions. That suddenly the gunman would realize he was being comforting and dangerously close to something outside the parameters of friendship and would push him away. Cid didn't want to feel rejected again. It hurt far too much the first time.

Vincent did not respond, merely allowing his arms to fall at his sides. He took an unconscious step backwards, but he didn't leave the room, just watched as Cid turned around to face him.

Finally, the pilot could look at him in the face. During the whole moment, he could see nothing of the expressions in those crimson eyes. He believed that of all the crew, he was the only one who had seen anything other than the impassive chill inside those features. In many ways, Cid was proud of that. In others, it was a pity because that meant Vincent was still afraid.

The former Turk was the first to speak. "We will probably be landing rather soon. They will need you in the cockpit."

Cid shook his head, laughing softly. "I think I am beginning to understand you."

Vincent looked at him curiously, raising an eyebrow as he frowned slightly. Understand him? Right.

Internally, he snorted. He scarcely understood himself.

"Is that so?"

The pilot took several steps towards Vincent, a mischievous gleam appearing in his blue eyes. The ex-Turk did not move, however, curious as to what the pilot had planned. Just one more step forward, and Cid moved far faster than Vincent anticipated. He grabbed the gunman's head with one hand, pulling his face down into a kiss, even as the other snaked around Vincent's back, urging him closer.

It seemed like forever since they had last been together like this, sharing something as intimate as a kiss. Vincent didn't resist the slightest, eagerly opening his mouth to admit the blond. He slid his own tongue into Cid's mouth, delighting in the flavor that he had found himself missing. Cigarettes and tea, like a mantra that recited over and over in his flavor-starved brain. He brought up his own arms, wrapping them around Cid to pull the pilot closer, their bodies flush against each other.

Cid lost himself in the touch of the gunman. He could feel tendrils of arousal already beginning to curl up within him: the smooth glide of his tongue in and around the pilot's mouth, the gentle caress of a hand against his back, the press of Vincent's arousal against his own. It came as no surprise when it became incredibly difficult for him to pull away, even when air became a necessity.

Reluctantly, the pilot broke off the kiss with a lingering nip to plush and thoroughly reddened lips, raising his eyes to Vincent's. It seemed the gunman was no less affected. There was a flush to his pale features, his lips were parted slightly, and his breathing had become ragged. In one simple kiss, both men had gone from slightly irritated to incredibly horny.

At a loss for words, Vincent struggled to find something to convey the turmoil that was cycling within him. He wanted, but he didn't. He wanted, but he couldn't. He wanted, but he knew he shouldn't. There was much he didn't understand, including his strange infatuation with the rough and gruff pilot. Had he forgotten Lucrecia that quickly? Was he that eager to make the same mistakes?

"Cid… I…" he trailed off, frustrated with his inability to form a coherent thought.

The Captain shook his head. "Now is not the time. We will be arriving in Cosmo Canyon any moment now."

The gunman sighed and released Cid from his hold, taking a step back. He took deep breaths, trying to get his body under his control. He was surprised by how difficult that simple task had become. Somehow, the pilot had managed to get under his skin in the simple time that they had known each other. Under his skin and beneath the carefully crafted barriers, leaving him reeling in the wake of things he hadn't known he wanted until that moment, even going so far as to make him question his decisions.

Vincent took a deep breath, his gaze shifting past the pilot to look out the window. "Sometimes, it is just that difficult," he said enigmatically, referring to Cid's question of before.

The pilot raised a brow, reaching for a cigarette. "And sometimes, you just gotta try. If you've got nothing in your life worth trying for, then you've got nothing worth living for."

- - -

Nanaki smiled to himself as he softly padded away from the door of the conference room. The actuality that he might have been discovered was worth the risk having seen what he saw. The lion-wolf now knew that his suspicions were correct. There was something going on between Vincent and Cid. Luckily for him, the two had not noticed him peering in from the doorway. He had witnessed their hug but had left before his good one eye was scarred for the rest of his life. It appeared the cold-hearted gunman was not as frozen as the others thought.

He made his way into the depths of the airship, a small chuckle escaping his fanged mouth. He had plans to return to the small room that had been given to him. If they were going to Cosmo Canyon, he was going to retrieve something for his grandfather. Nanaki moved quietly through the metal hallways of the Highwind, grateful for the stealth his cat-like paws granted him.

Suddenly, a presence appeared in front of him, one he quickly recognized.

"What are you grinning about?" Yuffie teased, her voice light and cheerful.

Nanaki looked up, surprised that he hadn't noticed her approach. Perhaps he was delighting too much in his discovery.

"Nothing," he answered, putting as much innocence into the one word as he could.

She was leaning up against the wall, nonchalantly, twirling one of her throwing stars around her fingers and grinning. "Aw, come on. You tell me your secret, and I'll tell you mine." She leaned forward slightly, winking. "It's a good one. I promise."

Nanaki snorted as he walked by the ninja, heading for his room. It was at the far end of the corridor, one of the smallest and furthest. Yuffie pushed herself off the wall and fell into stride next to him.

"You don't have any secrets."

"How do you know?" Yuffie pouted, still twirling the star around with dexterity, showing just how nimble she truly was. The little ninja was fast, probably the quickest among their little group.

"All right," Nanaki responded, though he didn't quite believe her as he glanced up with skepticism. "Then, what secret do you have?"

"Nuh uh." Yuffie shook her head in denial, wagging one finger at him. "You first."

He raised an orangish red brow, slightly amused by their little back and forth banter. "How do I know you are not bluffing?"

She grinned, a wide smile that did nothing to assure him. "You'll just have to trust me."

Nanaki snorted again, unable to help himself as he chuckled. "Right, and while I am at it, why don't you give me back the Earth materia. I might need it."

Yuffie's eyes widened as her grin was replaced by an entirely innocent expression. "What Earth materia?"

"The one you took from my Fire Armlet a few seconds ago."

She pouted again, rolling the small green ball between her fingers. "I might need it, too." Emerald reflected in her greedy brown eyes, displaying a mischievous intent.

"I do remember Cid allowing you to have Ifrit."

Yuffie did not respond, seemingly transfixed by the materia she had flipping around in her hand.

"Well, didn't he?" Nanaki pressed.

She frowned, mumbling under her breath. "It's not strong enough."

Nanaki sighed in minor irritation. Yuffie's kleptomania was somewhat of a nuisance, but to be honest, she never really kept anything she took. It was more like the challenge than the actual prize to her. Or at least, that was how the lion-wolf had it figured. He looked up, glad to see that he had finally arrived at his room. Unlike the others, there was no knob on this door; Nanaki had had one of the crewmen remove it for easy access.

"You are more than powerful enough on your own," he complimented as he pushed his way into the room.

Yuffie snorted, following behind. "You said you need it, too. And you have way more strength than I do, Aki." She rolled it once more about her fingers before giving it back to him, slipping it easily into his Armlet on his right foreleg.

"Hmm," the fire-wolf said in response. He padded over to his bed, if that is what one would call it. It appeared that despite his human-like intelligence, he still had cat-like tendencies. The covers for the bed were pulled into a ball and settled down in the middle.

"You gonna tell me whatcha were smiling at earlier?" Yuffie asked, returning to the subject they were previously discussing. She plopped herself down in the only chair in the room, reclining comfortably as she propped her feet up on the end table.

Nanaki nosed into the covers, teeth gripping onto some object. Yuffie watched with fascination as he pulled out a small metal chain with a mysterious symbol hooked onto it. With great manipulation, he managed to get it around his neck where it swung gently, the heavy silver metal a contrast to his brilliant fur.

"What's that?" Yuffie asked with clear fascination, forgetting her earlier question, eyes drawn to the sparkle.

"Something I found for grandfather in the Temple of the Ancients. I thought he might like to have it."

"Wow," the ninja murmured, eyes shining. "It is beautiful." Her eyes traveled over the thick metal that, though slightly rusted and dirty, was still a real work of art. The symbol itself was something mysterious: a large cross with a serpent coiled around it and a small crown adorning the top where the metal looped through it.

Nanaki shrugged his shoulders. "I believe that it is quite old. My grandfather will undoubtedly like it."

Yuffie nodded, tearing her eyes away from the necklace and returning her attentions to her previous questions. She was still burning with curiosity over what Nanaki hadn't told her. She sat up in the chair and fixed the lion-wolf with her most intent stare.

"Well?" she questioned, as if that one word explained everything.

Nanaki raised an eyebrow in question. "Well, what?"

"Your secret, silly; I still want to know."

He shook his head. "I can't. It is not mine to tell."

Yuffie's eyes widened. "Ooh. Then, it must be about someone I know! Who is it?" Clapping her hands together, she lowered her voice deviously. "It's about Reeve, isn't it?"

Nanaki glanced at her, an amused expression on his face as he leapt up onto the bed, making himself comfortable. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

She grinned. "Just some of my own suspicions. But don't worry; I will get to the bottom of all these mysteries."

"I don't doubt it," responded Nanaki dryly, but an announcement from the cockpit interrupted the conversation between them before Yuffie could respond.

"_Attention crew. We will be landing at Cosmo Canyon shortly. Prepare for descent._"

Sighing, the ninja rose as Nanaki roused himself off the bed.

"Duty calls," the girl remarked with a cocky hand to her hip. "Too bad for you. No nap after all," she teased, reaching over to run her hands through his fur.

Nanaki rolled his eye in response but leaned into the touch. He gave her a wolfish smile as he padded to the door.

- - -

"Grandfather!" Nanaki exclaimed happily, much like a young child.

"Nanaki! You have returned?" Bugenhagen questioned in surprise. He greeted the fire-wolf with vigor, giving him a grandfatherly pat on the head.

"We are here on business," Nanaki responded, tail literally wagging with joy. "We require information.

"Oh, really?" the sage queried. His eyes traveled over those present, noting that a few were missing and a few were gained since he had last seen the friends. "It seems that the group has changed in many ways."

The ninja stepped up to the sage, offering a small bow and surprising most of her friends. However, her polite action belied her statement.

"Mr. Bugenhagen, sir, we need to find Cloud," Yuffie blurted out, bordering on the verge of disrespect. From beside her, Nanaki nodded solemnly.

The elderly man's eyebrow rose in question. He gestured towards the sitting room, inviting them all to relax.

"Oh? And how can I help with that?" he questioned once they were all seated.

"He fell into the Lifestream," Cid began slowly.

"And he is just as strong as Sephiroth," Barret continued.

"So we figured he should have survived it," Reeve finished respectfully.

Nanaki added from his place beside the ninja, "However, he was not at the crater, where we last saw him." He paused, reconsidering. "Or truthfully, we couldn't really get close enough to properly check.

Bugenhagen looked at them thoughtfully, hand rubbing his chin through the long white beard. "It is possible that he could be found at an area where mako pools reside," he mused, almost to himself.

Yuffie looked at them quizzically. "Mako pools?"

Nanaki nodded. "Like I explained before, areas where the Lifestream gushes up," he clarified gently, flicking his tail and nuzzling her hand.

The old sage watched the exchange with interest. "Yes, there are very few of them in Gaia though. One in the Ancient's City, one on the Southern Island, one on the Lost Grounds, and then of course, I suppose the one at the crater now."

Barret harrumphed. "I've never heard of no Lost Grounds," he grumbled, clearly not impressed with the elderly man's words.

Bugenhagen dipped his head, though his eyes shone with amusement. "My apologies. That is the old name for Barrier Island."

"We checked the crater and the city," Cid mused, puffing on a much-needed cigarette.

Reeve nodded, adding in his two gil. "That only leaves the Southern Island and Barrier Island. We should go south first; it is the most likely candidate."

"Works for me." Cid shrugged. With luck they would find the spiky-headed man and his reign as leader would be over. If so, he would have to celebrate and maybe he could convince Vince to be friends with benefits. Yup, sounded like a plan.

"Thanks for the help, I guess."

The elderly man smiled. "The heroes of Gaia will get all the help they need from me." He lightly patted Nanaki on the head, running his hands over the fire-lion's fur and scratching him behind the ears, but his gnarled fingers touched something hard and smooth. "Eh? What is this?"

"Oh!" Nanaki exclaimed. "I nearly forgot. I found that in the Temple of the Ancients. I thought you might like it."

Bugenhagen murmured thoughtfully as he pulled the chain from around Nanaki's neck and examined it. "Seems very old," he mused aloud.

"Do you know what the symbol is?" Yuffie questioned curiously. Ever since she had first laid eyes on the rusted necklace, she had been fascinated by it. The chain stirred something inside of her, almost like she had seen it before.

The elderly man nodded, somewhat distracted by his rumination. "It is a flamel (2)," Bugenhagen commented. "I haven't seen this in ages… even then only in ancient manuscripts. I'm sure that the chain rightfully belongs to Nanaki and only he can unlock its secrets."

Golden eyes widened with confusion. "Secrets?"

Bugenhagen nodded as he slipped the chain back around the lion-wolf's neck once more. For some reason, Nanaki did not mind, finding the weight of it comforting. It almost felt as if he had always worn the flamel.

"It has something to do with your tribe, but I will need to do more research on it before I can say for certain."

"Great," Cid growled, interrupting their small conversation. "Now, that all that is taken care of, can we go to the Southern Island?"

The group exchanged looks, before shrugging their shoulders in mute decision.

- - -

(1) Direct Reference to Advent Children

(2) A flamel is the symbol for alchemy, borrowed from Fullmetal Alchemist.


	13. Finding Cloud

A/N: A somewhat shorter chapter, but look close and pay attention. It's important!

**Chapter Thirteen: Finding Cloud**

"…guess it's been about a week now since he washed up here on the shore. Poor pokey-headed young thing…"

At the mention of pokey-headed, Cid Highwind's head snapped up. It had to be! Yuffie looked up at him from where she knelt on the ground, petting the large brown dog that was happily wagging its tail. There was a look of excitement and disbelief on her face.

"Didja hear that?"

"Yeah," Cid breathed. "Who else's got hair like a chocobo but ole Spike himself?"

After arriving at the southern island, the members of AVALANCHE had been surprised to learn that an entire community had taken up residence there. And although the mako pool wasn't exactly evident, more or less lying beneath the island, they could feel the vague pulses of power of the Lifestream beneath them. It was enough to give them hope.

Barret pushed past the two of them and strode up to the men, who were gossiping in front of someone's home. "That pokey-headed man… where is he?" he growled, a vague attempt to be friendly.

"He's in the clinic," the shorter one commented with a shrug, gesturing up the hill to a lone building.

Barret didn't give the man time to say anything else as he rushed up the hill, the other AVALANCHE members following behind him. The two men could only stare at their odd behavior as they stampeded up the hill towards the clinic.

---

"Cloud!" Yuffie exclaimed as she pushed past Barret and shoved her way into the clinic. Her excited shriek pierced the ears of all those present, even as the heavy clomp of Barret's boots sounded behind her. The two crowded into the doorway.

The nurse at the front desk grimaced. "There are injured people here. Keep your voices down," she reprimanded sternly, rising to her feet. Her reproachful look sent tremors of guilt and shame through both.

"We are looking for a friend of ours," Yuffie explained with worried eyes, her anxiousness preceding any politeness she might have had.

Barret nodded vigorously. "Yeah," he added gruffly. "He's a short, scrawny guy with spiky, yellow hair and blue eyes. Name's Cloud."

The nurse appeared thoughtful, rifling through a few papers on the desk where she had just been sitting. "We do have a patient here by that description," she said slowly before finding a particular document and scanning it. "I believe he was an unknown."

"Can we see him?" the ninja asked excitedly just as the door behind the two opened and more members of their group tried to squeeze in.

"Hey, lemme in dammit!"

"Can you see him?"

"Is it him? Is he there?"

"What is this ruckus!!" a grey-haired doctor exclaimed, an angry gleam in his eyes as he emerged from behind one of the curtains that shielded patients from prying eyes. It flew back with a defining screech that rattled the ears of all present. "There are sick people here!"

The nurse sighed. "We may know the identity of our unknown," she gently explained, gesturing towards the crowd of people, who were trying to fit into the tiny space. The look of disproval never left her face.

Bushy brows rose in surprise and a bit of irritation. "They cannot all come back here!" the doctor argued with a slash of his hand. "One, maybe two… but not all of you."

The companions looked at each other, as if deciding which of them would stay to identify and recognize Cloud, if in fact the unknown man was their fallen comrade. Finally, Cid cursed aloud and started pushing his friends out the door with violent shoves.

"Wait outside!" he ordered, ignoring their cries of protest. "Me 'n Barret will see if it's Cloud!"

Despite the chorus of groans and protests, the members of AVALANCHE made their way out the door. Yuffie was the last, turning to say one more thing, but Cid promptly shut the door in her face, resisting the urge to laugh. Sighing, the pilot turned back to where Barret and the doctor were waiting. He ran his hands through his hair, a nervous habit he had picked up.

"Let's go," he said simply.

The doctor nodded as he turned and headed towards a small curtain, gesturing that they should enter. Once they were beyond, they received their first glimpse of the unknown man. It was most definitely Cloud, but much about him had changed. He sat weakly in a wheelchair, barely able to keep his head up. His eyes seemed vacant and empty, as if his soul and mind had simply departed, leaving a vacant shell behind.

It was disturbing.

The pilot could feel himself pale at the sight, instantly needing a cigarette. The kid, plainly put, looked dead.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Cid demanded, shooting an appalled look at the doctor.

He had never seen Cloud looking so weak and frail. It scared him in ways he couldn't even begin to understand. If Cloud was lost, what hope was there for the rest of them, the normal guys?

Well, maybe Vincent and Nanaki would be all right, but the others were only human. And Sephiroth had lost his humanity a long time ago.

"Mako poisoning," the doctor answered from where he stood in the doorway, a melancholic and tired look on his face. There were times his job wasn't the easiest. "Quite an advanced case. He is lucky to be alive."

Cid snorted in response, pointing a wavering finger at the younger blond. "Alive?" he demanded sarcastically. "Fuck it! Look at him! That ain't living. It's just there!"

"He can't even see or hear us," Barret added, his expression pinched with dismay. He shook his head. There was something very wrong with seeing their illustrious leader in such a state. It brought to mind one's own weaknesses and whether or not they were even capable of completing anything on their own.

The doctor, who was as of yet unnamed, sighed from the doorway, rifling through some papers attached to a clipboard. "He is somehow locked within his own consciousness," the elderly man commented, scanning through Cloud's paperwork. "I am not even sure if I have the capacity to help him. It is a touch and go process."

Cid frowned, sticking an unlit cigarette in his mouth just to alleviate some of the tension. "What about… somewhere else?" he questioned tentatively, not believing for one moment that it was going to do them any good.

The doctor shook his head as he tucked his clipboard beneath one arm and pulled off his glasses to rub the lenses with a cleaning cloth. The look he gave the Captain clearly said it all, no words required. If he couldn't cure Cloud, then no one could. It was as simple as that.

"Tch," Barret began slowly. He turned towards Cid to look him in the eye. "What do we do?"

---

Outside the small island clinic, the group of AVALANCHE members waited solemnly but not without anxiety. Yuffie paced back and forth, occasionally asking questions that no one would answer. The normally cheerful ninja seemed agitated as she walked a small line in the ground, hands folded behind her back and face pinched into a frown.

Nanaki was lying on the ground, tail swishing constantly as his head sat worriedly on his paws. He stared up at the door to the clinic, not sure what answer he was hoping for. If it truly was Cloud, then there was a reason he was in a medical clinic, and after a week, the odds that the prognosis was good were low indeed. Above all else, he was a practical being, despite what his heart wanted to believe. And he could plainly see that of them all, Yuffie was the most worried, her strange behavior a clear sign that they were all closer to each other than an outside party would observe them to be. Sometimes, the most unlikely people could form implausible bonds.

Reeve and Vincent were standing off to the side, talking to each other in low tones, as if keeping their conversation apart from the younger members. Reeve was chewing his lips nervously. The expression on Vincent's face was completely unreadable, his arms crossed over his chest, his claw clacking quietly in contemplative movement.

"What if it isn't him?" Yuffie finally asked aloud, searching the face of her older companions for some assurance or some sign that they were at least listening to her. But no one had an answer, so they kept silent.

Despite his problems and occasional leader blunders, Cloud was loved by his friends. After all that the group had been through, they were slowly drawing closer together. They did not want to lose another, not like they had lost Aeris. Betrayal and death were around every corner, and the fight for Gaia was beginning to look very grim indeed. They needed Cloud.

No one wanted to face what would happen if their leader was indeed dead or beyond help. He was a symbol of their strength and unity. If he was gone, the others would drift away. If he couldn't live to destroy Sephiroth, who could?

"What if… he doesn't remember us or something?" the ninja pressed, receiving stony glares for an answer. "What if--"

"Yuffie!" Vincent growled, cutting her off before she could ask another question. He opened his mouth but was cut short when the door to the clinic opened, Cid and Barret stepping out. Four pairs of eyes turned towards the two expectantly.

"Well…" Cid began, scratching his head with one hand and feeling suddenly as if he was on trial. "It _is_ him." Yuffie made as if to cheer, a big smile creeping up on her lips. But the expression on the pilot's face told her there was more, and she quickly pushed her celebrations down.

"But?" Reeve prompted, encouraging Cid to continue.

The pilot shook his head. "He has mako poisoning," Cid muttered angrily. "Damn kid's like a vegetable."

"Will he get better?" Yuffie asked tentatively, not quite sure how she should be feeling. A little guilty for causing Cloud so much trouble, concerned for his welfare, pissed at Sephiroth, her emotions were swirling, and she couldn't seem to grasp onto one of them, even her youthful, ninja exuberance was missing.

Cid shrugged. "I don't know. The doctor is surprised Spike's even fuckin' alive." An uncomfortable silence fell at the weight of his words, and it settled heavily in their hearts, leaving them even more at a loss for what to do.

"What are we going to do then?" Vincent asked quietly, breaking the silence.

It was Barret who explained. "Me 'n Cid have come to a decision. I'm gonna stay here, just in case Cloud comes out of it. But everyone else, you're gonna continue the fight. Can't let damn ShinRa or fuckin' Sephiroth win!" Though an attempt at encouragement, his words sounded strangely hollow in the wake of what happened. No one really believed they could do it on their own, but they were unwilling to say the truth of their thoughts aloud.

Just then, Cid's PHS rang, the sound disturbing the quiet. He sighed and reached into his pockets, pulling out the silver phone and pressing the talk button.

"Highwind. What about-- When? Start the engines and get her ready for launch. Give us ten minutes!" He snapped the phone shut angrily and shoved it back into his pocket, lighting up the cigarette he had been chewing on.

The others waited patiently for an explanation, but when one didn't come, Yuffie pressed. "Well?"

The Captain sighed, shaking his head. "Damn ShinRa's taking matters into their own hands," he answered, sounding incredibly weary. Being leader was taking a toll on him. "Something about Huge materia and blowing up Meteor. We can find out more when we get to the airship."

"Stupid fuckin' ShinRa," Barret snarled, dark eyes narrowing. "Get yer ass out of here, Highwind. You got work to do. And you betta come back sometime and check on Spike."

Cid nodded, forming a half-hearted salute as he turned away, pushing the others back towards the waiting airship. "You better make sure that spiky-headed bastard wakes up before we do, Barret," he countered. "Or I'm fucking doomed," he added under his breath, hiding his sigh of weariness beneath a well-time snap of "Get yer asses in gear."

However, one didn't obey his orders. Reeve hung back, waiting until the others were a good distance away so that he could walk beside the pilot and hold a relatively secret conversation. Silence passed between the two for a few moments as Cid puffed on a cigarette, thankful for the much-needed nicotine.

"You look tired, Cid," the ex-executive said finally, shooting glances at the blond from the corner of his eye.

Cid snorted. "There's an understatement," he muttered, raising a brow. "You didn't hang back just to tell me that."

Reeve shook his head. "No, but I figured it was a good way to start." He took a deep breath, searching for the right words. "What do you really think about Cloud's prognosis? Will he pull out of it?"

"Do I look like a &!#$ doctor?" the pilot bitterly questioned, flicking some ashes down to the ground. "The kids strong, the strongest I've seen in some time. If he can't pull through it, then there ain't no hope for the goddamn rest of us. We might as well throw in the towel now."

The other man grimaced, agreeing with Cid but not liking the truth of that fact. "It's hard to believe that we're all relying on the strength of a twenty-two-year-old kid," he replied, rubbing a hand over one of his shoulders. "We're getting too old for this, the two of us."

Cid laughed, but it was bitter. "Maybe you are, but I'm fit and fine," he responded. "I can wield my spear just as good as the next one and probably better."

Reeve didn't believe that for one moment, shooting a look of disbelief at his companion. "What if Cloud doesn't return, Cid? What will you do then?" he asked, noting that they were approaching the airship.

Ahead of them, Yuffie was nimbly dancing around Nanaki, obviously teasing him about something. Vincent was leading the pack, probably seeking out some dark corner to hide in, and the lion-wolf was doing a wonderful job of enjoying said ninja.

"I try not to think about it," the pilot responded. "I've never been one for worrying to death over things I can't do nothing about. That's more Vin's department."

"Yes," mused Reeve thoughtfully. "Valentine is indeed morose. When I was still in ShinRa headquarters, I tried to look up a file on him. Everything was locked up tight, and he's simply listed in the Turk registry as missing in action. Tseng knew nothing of the man but myth and legend." The ex-executive shook his head, rubbing a few fingers along his goatee in thought. "No one knows what happened to him."

The pilot nodded, twisting the cigarette in his mouth before spitting it out and grinding the last little bit of fire with the heel of his boot. "I don't think he does either," he commented, eyes following the crimson-clad man as he disappeared within the airship. The two drew to a halt outside the Highwind, carrying on their conversation out of hearing of the others.

Reeve glanced at him, noting the strange look on the Captain's face. "Cid, are you sure you are all right?"

Cid snorted. "I should be asking you the same. How's your conscience?"

The ex-executive winced at what he perceived to be a low blow. "Do you hold the same grudge then? Should I watch my back around you the same as I do around Mr. Wallace?"

The pilot was quiet for a moment, watching the play of sunlight across the hull of his airship. "Sometimes, there are things that we have to do that we don't want to but are left very little choice in the matter." He exhaled in a huff, raking a hand through his hair, his thoughts instantly turning to one gunman and his enigmatic words and actions. "And we can only hope that in the long run, it will turn out the way we want it to."

A smile tugged at the corner of Reeve's mouth. "That's very poetic of you, Cid. You really are cut out for this leadership thing."

The blond snorted, raising a disbelieving brow. "Now, I know you didn't really pull me aside to question me about Cloud or beg for forgiveness, despite everything. What do you want to tell me?"

"Hmm," responded the ex-executive. He folded his arms over his chest, looking down at the ground. "ShinRa most likely has something else up their sleeve than a simple mission to destroy Meteor. It is more self-preservation than an actual attempt to redeem themselves," he explained carefully. "I'm just telling you to be wary and on alert. I can't tell the others because I doubt that they would believe me. You, on the other hand, are perhaps the only one that would."

"Did you know that Tifa was a fuckin' traitor?"

Reeve nodded. "Yes, but I never said anything. Barret was close to her, and the others seemed to listen to him and Cloud, considering he knew her from his past. Given what I had already done, I didn't think I would be believed."

"Is anyone else?"

The ex-executive shook his head. "No. Yuffie is a thief but dependable, heir to Wutai, if you didn't know." He paused, thinking back on the information that ShinRa had pulled together on the eclectic group. "Nanaki is just as he said: son of Seto and one of the last of his tribe. There may be more, but ShinRa was unable to find their location. As I said before, we don't know anything about Vincent beside the fact that he was once a Turk and his father was a ShinRa scientist. Barret Wallace is indeed the leader of AVALANCHE, despite the fact that most of its members have been killed by ShinRa."

"Did you memorize the shit?" questioned Cid, slightly amused at the amount of information that literally poured from Reeve's mouth.

Somewhat embarrassed, the executive shrugged. "I have someone on the inside still. An informer who keeps me up to date on what's going on, the man who replaced me when I was found out."

"Oh, really?" the pilot asked. "Who?"

Reeve considered telling him about Archer, but judging from the weariness in his friend's features, he didn't want to push Cid any further. Thoughts of the past and the heartache weren't something he wanted the other man to suffer again. Reeve shook his head silently. No, it was best if he kept that knowledge to himself.

"It doesn't matter," the ex-executive assured. "He is loyal to me and, by proxy, to us. That is all that is important."

Cid eyed his old friend skeptically but didn't press. If Reeve didn't want to tell him, he would trust him.

"Alright, Reeve. If you say so."

"Yo old men!" Both looked up to see Yuffie hanging over the edge of the deck, frantically waving her arms to get their attention. "We gonna get going anytime soon?" she hollered.

Cid sighed. "Stupid &!#$ ninja," he muttered under his breath. "Ain't no old man," he continued to grumble before shuffling forward, heading into the Highwind. "She ain't got no respect."

Reeve smiled despite himself and followed after, always amused by Cid's tenacious ability to never stay down for long. He was the perfect match for Valentine, or so Reeve had observed. Now, if only they would look beyond their own reservations and, in Vincent's case, fears.

He lagged behind Cid, the pilot speeding well ahead of him. As a result, Reeve was the one who first noticed Vincent lurking in the shadows as the blond sped right by him, heading directly for the bridge before Yuffie could wreak havoc. He didn't quite trust her around his machinery, not that Reeve could blame him. She had sticky fingers for all things shiny and transportable, especially materia. Reeve always kept careful count of all his.

Regardless, he noticed Valentine the moment he stepped inside the Highwind, hitting the button to shut the door to the cargo bay. "Were you wanting to speak to me in particular or merely observing for the sake of curiosity?" he questioned, turning away from the descending door to find scarlet eyes burning in the darkness.

Vincent didn't respond, not that he had really expected him to. Instead, the ex-Turk melded out of the shadows, becoming an almost frightening visage that separated Reeve from the door to the inner rooms of the Highwind.

The ex-executive tilted his head to the side. "There are always reasons," he said, referring to the last thing the other man had told him when he was still Cait Sith.

"What did you tell Highwind about me?" Vincent questioned. "What does ShinRa know?"

Reeve inclined his head. "Is there something you don't want him to know? Should I be keeping secrets and giving them all more of a reason to hate me?"

Valentine snorted, clearly unamused. "What did you say?" He took a step forward.

"I don't know anything," Reeve clarified, not at all nervous. Despite his presence and his coldness, he knew that Vincent was not someone to be afraid of. Barret feared him for no reason. "Nobody does. Why are you so worried that I tell Cid, anyway?" His lips curved into a grin. "Don't want him to know all the dirty little secrets?" He shook his head, turning away from Vincent. "He's a good guy, Valentine. You shouldn't be so afraid."

"I'm not afraid of anything," the former Turk snapped.

Reeve smiled, despite the situation. Vincent wasn't fooling him in the slightest. He had first noticed on the night of the Gold Saucer. His room had been right on the other side of theirs. Right before he had gone to steal the Keystone from Cloud, he had heard more than he ever needed to know. And perhaps in some ways, he felt that he owed Cid a little bit of happiness. The two were good for each other.

"Look, I don't know what happened," he said, turning back to face Vincent. "I don't know about the past, but I do know that it is no longer relevant. What is important is the here and now. He's a good guy, and you can't deny that he is what you need."

Vincent raised a brow. "And you know what it is that I need?"

The ex-executive shrugged. "A good guess." He paused, considering his words, searching for the right thing to say.

Yet, before he could, Vincent ended the conversation, turning on his heels and disappearing into the darkness with a swirl of his crimson cloak.

"Just like a ghost," Reeve muttered under his breath, shaking his head before he also headed into the inner parts of the Highwind.

----

Thanks for reading! Review please! I'd really like to know if these new scenes are good additions.


	14. A Leader's Burden

A/N: Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed!

//Hellmasker speaking//  
(Speaking in Mind)  
_Flashback_

**Chapter Fourteen: A Leader's Burden**

Being the leader of an environmental terrorist group wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. The stress and responsibility of doing his job was beginning to weigh heavily on Cid's shoulders. It seemed everyday that it was getting harder to get up with all the weight on his back, or at least, so Vincent had noticed. Leadership was taking a toll on the pilot and not in a good way. His eyes were sunken, less bright, and his face stretched with weariness.

Cid consistently worried about Cloud, more for selfish reasons than anything else. He was tired of being leader, weary of being asked what to do, scared that the next decision he made would send them to their deaths. The pilot had changed with the stress. He was even more short-tempered than usual. Poor Yuffie had even learned to keep her mouth shut.

The Fort Condor mission was the beginning of it, sending soldiers to their deaths against attacking ShinRa troops, barely able to maintain their hold on to the high ground. It was a narrow battle. In the end, Cid, Vincent, and Reeve had had to take on the ShinRa general on their own to prevent defeat. The General had been nothing against the three battle hardened warriors but having to deal with the prior loss of life weighed heavily on the Captain's shoulders.

They had managed to gain hold of the Huge Materia and acquire a new summon as well, but the price they paid had been high. Fort Condor would never be the same, and no one could say if the condors that they struggled for so long to protect would ever return.

That mission had been their first in terms of stopping ShinRa from using the Huge Materia to blow up Meteor. Cid's group had learned of their plans when Rufus had sent orders through all channels to begin collecting the Huge Materia in Corel, Fort Condor, Junon, and Nibelheim. As a group, they had decided it was better to use the materia against Sephiroth than allow the company to use it for their own means. It had been too late for them to go to Nibelheim, Rufus' first stop. So they had gone to Fort Condor first.

But there had been no time for rest before they had to move on to Mt. Corel and, by proxy, the town of North Corel. They had been lucky that Barret hadn't been there; otherwise, they might not have been able to get in without blowing everything up. Even with that, ShinRa had already been at the reactor when they had showed up.

There had been no choice then. They had stolen aboard the train, working their way through multiple enemies to reach the front. There, it had been up to Cid to stop the rampaging train. Somehow, they managed it seconds from smashing into a town already on its last limbs. In thanks, a boy had given them an Ultima materia as a gift, as if that sort of thing was easy to come by.

Still, it had been close, too close for their Captain's liking. He had seemed particularly solemn after that success, despite now having two of the four Huge Materia in possession.

Nor could Vincent forget the events of a week past, when he had woken to find himself in Hojo's care once more. He desperately wanted to wash away the feel of that man's hands on him. Perhaps it meant he was only using Cid for that purpose; he wasn't sure, but he was positive that he couldn't help himself. He wasn't a perfect man.

It was for this and other reasons that Vincent found himself searching for the stressed blond. In the cockpit, the gunman had been informed that the Captain had retired early, muttering something about food and cleaning up. Vincent had also tried the mess hall, finding it mostly empty. Yuffie was poking about in the fridge, but that wasn't something unusual. On the deck, Reeve was staring out into the dark, and Nanaki was sleeping in the cargo bay, not that Vincent could particularly explain that.

The gunman had headed for the living quarters, the only plausible place left for Cid to be. It was there that he finally stood in front of the Captain's quarters, three times larger than anyone else's. It wasn't until he raised his hand to knock that he even realized exactly what it was he was doing and where. He didn't even know if he was ready to do what he was about to do.

And what was it he was doing again? Apologizing? Asking for more?

Hell, he didn't even know anymore. Cid was probably tired of waiting for him to make up his mind. Vincent didn't know what he wanted. Revenge? To try again? Could he honestly have forgotten Lucrecia that quickly?

//Bah, you're just fooling yourself.// Hellmasker cackled within his mind, rasping laughter grating on his nerves. //You're going to use him and throw him away, just like you did the first time.//

Vincent's hand paused in front of the door, raised to knock, but he never completed the action. Crimson eyes narrowed.

(That is not what happened,) he snapped internally. (I was confused.) He didn't know why he felt he had to justify himself to the demon. Perhaps because he knew he needed to explain the same to Cid.

//Who the fuck cares what he thinks?// The demon snorted. //You're no longer human. You don't need emotions; you belong to us,// Hellmasker hissed, clearly pleased with himself.

Vincent frowned, finding it odd that Hellmasker was the one speaking and not Chaos, the more vocal of the four. It seemed that lately, they were finding times to be more loquacious. They bickered from time to time until Chaos took over and made them be quiet. It was getting harder to push their unwanted appearances down as well. During battle, it was all he could do not to randomly limit break.

(I do not belong to you,) Vincent growled to himself, clawed hand clenching into a fist at his side. (If I could finally be rid of you, I would--)

Hellmasker laughed, cold and grating. //You would what? Without us, you are nothing,// the demon snarled. //Just another one of Hojo's freaks. His pet! His bitch!//

Crimson eyes flared with fury. (Silence! Don't speak to me of that again. Just… be quiet!)

//At least, with us you have power. To destroy and hand out death, just like before when you were a Turk,// Hellmasker continued, undisturbed by Vincent's vehemence. //The pilot means nothing. You mean nothing. When the time comes--//

Gathering up all of his strength, Vincent threw up his mental barriers, cutting off the demon's taunts mid-rant and giving himself blissful silence. It was only then that he realized his body was shaking, Hellmasker's cruel words reverberating in his mind.

Monster… freak… what the others thought of him as well. Everyone but Cid.

The ex-Turk took a deep breath, trying to calm himself as he again asked himself exactly what it was he was trying to do, staring at the seemingly innocent door in front of him. He and Cid weren't lovers, nothing special to each other outside of friends. He had no real reason to want to come and comfort the pilot except that he could not help but remember what he had seen yesterday...

_It was right after the Fort Condor mission, and the group was wearily trudging up the ramp of the airship, hoping to get some rest before they intercepted any more of ShinRa's transmissions. At the time, they hadn't known it would be their luck to have to immediately head out once more for Corel. _

_Vincent was usually the last to enter the ship, one of his silly quirks that he had picked up since being awoken from his slumber. But for once, Cid was the last, insisting that he wanted to give the airship one last go over from the outside before they took off for the day. On impulse, he had hung back as Reeve entered ahead of them, complaining of aching muscles and needing more daggers. Vincent hid in the shadows to watch the pilot, wondering exactly what it was he was going to do._

_At first, it seemed that Cid was doing nothing more than he had explained to them. He lit up a cigarette, puffing on it slowly as he inspected some of the landing gears and perused the metal coverings over the wings. He appeared to be muttering to himself, but the gunman couldn't make out the words._

_Finally, he seemed satisfied with whatever it was he was looking for. But instead of heading for the ramp to get back onto the ship, Cid stood and stared off into the distance, his back to the Highwind and his hands on his hips. Vincent could not see his face and did not know what he was doing, even as he shifted uncomfortably in his hiding place. _

_When had life become so complicated for him? _

_One minute he was a Turk, one of the best, his life set in stone. The next, he had brief flashes of memories and nightmares about torture and pain. After that, he woke up to find a pair of mako blue eyes staring down at him as he laid in a coffin, and right along side were a strange feline creature and a perky flower-girl. Thirty years had passed. Lucrecia was dead, Sephiroth had become homicidal, and Hojo, the bastard, was still running free, performing experiments as horrible as the ones that had been done to Vincent himself. _

_The gunman did not exactly know what all had happened to him down in the basement, only knowing the aftereffects: the demons, strange healing and longevity, and, of course, the damn metal claw. He had voices in his mind always calling for death and destruction. He had to fight down urges for blood that were not his own. He couldn't explain any of it, but he could remember the cause for his suffering. _

_His pride and his arrogance, they were his sins and his downfall. He had loved Lucrecia, which was enough to make Hojo despise him. He had tried to take her away from that godforsaken place, which made him hated. And then, he had insulted the madman's research. That had all cumulated in his doom. _

_He was a Turk; he should have known to take his weapon. But Hojo was just a scientist, a small, nerdy guy with glasses. Not really a match for Vincent Valentine, Commander of the elusive Turks. Lucrecia was pregnant, and Hojo wanted the child; a child that should have been Vincent's but most assuredly wasn't. _

_He had deserved all that happened to him. He hadn't protected her like he promised. He hadn't protected the child, the baby that would be born to grow up and lead ShinRa's armies. That was his sin; that was his sorrow. And that was why it was up to him to destroy Hojo and stop Sephiroth's madness. _

_He had failed his one true love. He had no right to expect any happiness. He did not deserve what Cid wanted to offer him. _

_Vincent was distracted from his internal memories when he noticed that Cid's position had shifted. He was no longer facing the horizon anymore but walking up towards the ramp. The ex-Turk moved further back into the shadows as the blond climbed and hit the button that would raise the ramp, allowing the Highwind to lift off. _

_The pilot pressed a button, activating an intercom to the cockpit. The helmsman listened quietly as Cid ordered him to get the ship off the ground and head towards Cosmo Canyon. With that taken care of, Cid moved away from the panel and further into the recesses of the ship. He seemed to walk slower than usual, dragging his steps. _

_Vincent detached himself from the shadows, following silently. The blond was acting oddly, and he was determined to find out why. _

_The gunman wasn't sure when his feelings for the pilot had become more than early lust. Ever since that night at Gold Saucer, he could think of nothing else but doing it again. Cid had invaded his mind and his dreams, not that he minded, but it was very confusing. He had had male lovers before, quite often when he was a Turk. Everyone had wanted to taste the Vincent Valentine, but there was something about the pilot that made him different. _

_It made him feel warm inside, like something was melting down his walls, and he wasn't able to build them up fast enough before there was another attack. Cid was the first to befriend him, the first to speak kindly. But still, was that enough for these sudden sparks of emotion?_

_Regardless, Vincent knew he couldn't give Cid what the man desired. He wasn't a person cut out for that kind of thing. He couldn't save Lucrecia; he couldn't protect the woman he loved. Creatures such as the one he had become could never truly love. Vincent honestly believed that he had lost that capacity. _

_The gunman had made a serious error, the day that he so rudely shot down Cid because he didn't want to think about anything at the moment. Goes to show how he was more similar to monsters than humans. Perhaps Hojo really had changed him more than he thought._

_He jerked out of his musings when he noticed that instead of heading for either the cockpit or the living quarters, the pilot was moving toward the deck. He was walking thoughtfully, hands in his pockets, eyes staring at the ground, his shoulders hunched. Cid Highwind certainly looked like a defeated man, despite the victory of the day. _

_A few minutes later, Vincent found himself peering through a gap in the doorway, observing the pilot's actions for the moment feeling very much like a voyeur. Cid stood at the railing, hands gripped tightly onto the metal bars as he stared out at the passing scenery. That should have calmed the pilot, but it only served to make him feel worse. _

_Vincent's eyes widened in shock when Cid suddenly stepped back from the railing and punched it viciously. He didn't even flinch as his knuckles began to redden and bleed, instead muttering something under his breath. His blue eyes shone as if he was going to cry, but the tears would not fall._

_Vincent held his breath with the sudden realization that Cid, their leader and famous Captain of the Highwind, was breaking; he was falling apart. The former Turk took several steps back from the door, even as he caught a glimpse of the blond collapsing, staring out morosely at the setting sun. He would have to think about what it was he had just seen._

_At the time, he didn't even think to rush out and say something. He was too shocked by what his eyes had seen. Instead, he disappeared to his room, only to be called out shortly after when they learned about North Corel. _

Vincent took a deep breath, again staring at the door. He had wanted to believe Cid was going to be just fine. The Captain wasn't the type to linger on the negative. He preferred to keep on going and push forward, to never give in when the going got rough. Cid was used to being in charge of an airship, a crew of men that worked to keep the Highwind in the skies, not leading a group of people in a life-preserving mission around the world.

But above all, it was the events of that afternoon that led Vincent to Cid's door. Today, at Mt. Corel, when they were frantically trying to stop the train, both Vincent and Yuffie had turned to Cid, the most experienced in moving mechanics for answers. And for a moment, the pilot had panicked, staring at the dials and switches with incomprehension.

There was doubt flashing in sky blue eyes, doubt about his own skills, about his ability to make his decision, about everything. Cid had always been one who was confident in himself. He never hesitated. He needed something, someone to support him.

Maybe the gunman couldn't love; maybe he didn't deserve it. Maybe he was a monster, but Cid was not.

His courage regained; Vincent moved to knock on the door.

Too late, the door suddenly swung inwards revealing a very confused Cid, who stumbled backwards in shock. "Vince?" he asked, blinking at him blearily, his voice thick with alcohol, and Vincent could smell the booze from where he stood. "What're you doin' here?"

The former Turk lowered his hand as he considered the pilot and his question. "You look like shit," he commented softly.

Never a more obvious statement there had been. Cid's blond hair was mussed and sticking up in all directions, no longer restrained by the ever present goggles. There were dark circles under his unfocused eyes, and his normally tanned skin seemed paler than usual. He wore only his blue jeans, and even they hung loosely on his hips. The pilot leaned up against the doorway, holding the door open only enough for his body to fit.

"Thanks," he responded dryly. "Any other obvious statements?"

"Can I come in, or would you rather I say this out in the hall?" Vincent asked, raising an eyebrow.

Cid pushed the door open completely and turned around, heading back into the room. It was up to the gunman to show himself in, and that was exactly what he did, shutting the door quietly behind him. But he moved no further than a few steps, instead watching Cid intently. The pilot shuffled over to his bed, where he crawled back on it, reaching for a small bottle that was sitting on the bedside table.

"You can sit in a chair, Vince," Cid said wryly as he reached for a cigarette and lit up.

The gunman complied, striding across the floor towards the small table that housed two chairs. He pulled out one and sat, gazing at Cid. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence until finally he spoke.

"What are you drinking?" he asked, even though he could smell the liquor from where he sat. It was Cid's favorite flavor, scotch.

The blond took a deep swig before he mumbled, "Water."

Vincent shook his head. It was obvious that Cid was lying to him. But why the pilot thought he needed to hide it, the gunman wasn't sure. Cid never really was one for keeping things hidden.

"Why the hell're you in my room?" the Captain asked, noting the look that Vincent had given him. He was already feeling a bit of a buzz from the scotch, which he had been downing straight.

The Captain had never been the type to drown his sorrows in alcohol, but for some reason, today seemed like the perfect day to start. At least if he had to be leader for the rest of the battle, he would have a coping factor. But now, this gunman was making things different. Their relationship was like a labyrinth, and he had completely lost the bit of string to lead him around. Vincent just didn't know what the hell he wanted, and to be honest, Cid wasn't entirely sure either.

"I know, Cid," Vincent said, his way of answering, a purely enigmatic response as always. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, again questioning his own actions.

What the hell was he doing? Was he only making things worse?

Cid rolled his eyes as he snorted, clearly not amused. "Know 'bout what?" he asked gruffly.

"After Fort Condor, I was watching you."

Cid shrugged. The alcohol was coursing through his bloodstream, making him feel warm and causing his brain to fog. There was a pleasant numbing feeling to his emotions that seemed strangely addictive.

"'Sat s'posed to mean somethin' to me?" he demanded, waving a hand of dismissal, failing to notice the uncertain way it wavered mid-air.

Vincent's eyes narrowed as he watched the pilot take another swig of his scotch and draw thickly on his cigarette. He was going to make himself sick if he kept that up. The dark-haired man stood quickly from the chair and stormed over to Cid, jerking the bottle violently from his grasp and throwing it far away from the reaching pilot. He heard a resulting thud and the sound of something shattering.

Cid flinched.

"I was drinkin' that!!" he angrily protested.

Vincent ignored him, drawing up to his full height to stare down at the other man. "Where were you going when you opened the door?" he demanded.

"To throw myself off the deck," the pilot joked bitterly.

Vincent moved swiftly, gripping Cid by the shoulders and forcing the pilot to look him in the eye. The blond was barely able to focus. Apparently, the scotch was having too much of an effect on him.

"Okay, sheesh. I was joking," Cid muttered.

"What is wrong with you, Highwind?" Vincent hissed, not moving from their position. Cid made no move to remove the gunman's hands from his shoulders, though he did reach up to pluck the cigarette from his mouth, crushing it into the table and effectively putting it out. "You are not one to fall apart at the seams."

"Hey!" Cid answered angrily. "No one asked me if I wanted this. They all just said, 'Ooh, let's make Cid the leader! He'll be good at it!'" He weakly pushed against Vincent, trying to make the man back off, even as he struggled to rise to his feet.

He did not get far, head spinning from the quick movement and alcohol combination. Vincent shook his head as he caught the slumping pilot, using his arms to lift Cid up and lay him down on the bed. He sat on the soft surface next to the pilot and looked down at him, his face impassive but emotion showing through his eyes.

The blond reached blindly for the table. Hadn't he put that damn scotch there the last time he checked?

"Fuck!" Cid groaned, putting a hand to his suddenly aching head. "You busted my scotch. I paid good money for that."

"You don't need it," Vincent answered simply. "Now, answer my question."

"I already did."

Vincent wanted to growl. "You once said that if I ever needed someone to talk to I could always come to you." Cid's eyes widened, but he didn't say anything. The gunman continued, "I now extend the same invitation to you."

For some reason, those words pierced through the hazy fog of Cid's subconscious, and he sought to push past the buzz and sit up. Hell, if Vincent was going to sit and let him talk without saying anything, who was he to pass that opportunity up?

"Okay," began Cid. He ran his hands nervously through his hair as he contemplated on where to begin.

"I will just listen."

Cid nodded. He wasn't even sure where to begin. There had been so many things going on the past several days that his mind hadn't been able to catch up with the rest of him. He suddenly wished that Cloud would hurry up and get better.

"Do ya think Cloud will ever come out of it?" he asked finally for a lack of anything better to say.

Vincent sighed, idly fiddling with one of the clasps to his cloak. Despite his inebriation, the pilot was quick to recognize that as one of the ex-Turk's few nervous quirks. It always made him seem more human.

"I do not know. But for your sake, I hope so," the gunman replied.

The Captain raised a brow, suddenly hyper aware of the fact he was wearing nothing more than his jeans and the man of his desires was sitting on his bed. "My sake?" he questioned, somewhat distracted by Vincent's nearness. Why had the gunman come to him anyways? Was it really just to listen?

The crimson-eyed man gave him an even stare. "Don't lie and tell me you suddenly enjoy being leader?"

Cid sighed. "Yer right, ya know. If I had chosen wrong… North Corel would be nothing more than a pile of scrap and rubble right now." That thought instantly destroyed any and all erotic ideas that had filled his head. He slumped morosely.

"But you didn't," Vincent pointed out reasonably, for once sounding optimistic. "You saved them and got the Huge Materia in the process. You're doing a fine job leading us. Think of what would happen if we left Yuffie in charge."

Sky blue eyes darkened. "That's not the point," Cid roared angrily, slamming a fist into the bedcovers. He instantly regretted his tone of voice when he saw the hardened look on Vincent's face and the set tone of his jaw. The pilot took a deep breath, struggling to reign in his swirling emotions.

The pilot sighed and explained, "I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want this responsibility. If we hadn't saved that town today," Cid shook his head before continuing, "I don't know what I would have done." His confession out, the blond felt strangely weak, as if he had just finished running a marathon. He slumped against the headboard.

"Cid…" Vincent murmured. Something within him broke, and all he wanted to do was comfort the pilot. Yet, he still held back. His own fears were presently louder than his conscience.

There was a moment of silence before Cid finally spoke. "Do you still… hate what we had together?" he asked tentatively, eyes closed in exhaustion.

"I never hated what we did," Vincent answered truthfully. "I was just--"

"Scared," Cid finished for him. He nodded. "Yeah, that's what I am. Scared that I will screw up everyone's life or end up making the wrong decisions or fail in some way or…" he trailed off, throwing up his hand to signify his feelings of defeat.

Vincent nodded. "Those are the unfortunate circumstances and doubts that come along with being a leader. You can't be right all the time." His gaze traveled over the weary blond, again feeling that subtle leap in his chest.

"Yeah, whatever…" the blond mused, wrapping his arms around himself. "Thanks for listening, but I want to be alone now."

The dark-haired man balked at leaving, refusing to even stand. "I still haven't told you why I was standing outside your door," he countered. There was absolutely no way he was going to leave the pilot to his depressive state. But now was the moment of truth. He couldn't back out now.

The Captain opened his eyes and turned his attention to the former Turk, searching his face intently. "Why?" he questioned, sitting up on the bed, clearly interested. His own heart began to beat quickly in his chest, wondering if what he hoped for was finally going to happen.

Instead of answering, Vincent decided to just act. He knew his words would only come out stuttered and confusing so he chose to show the frustrating pilot. He reached out quickly and pulled the man close to him, hands latching onto Cid's shoulders as he leaned in.

Cid's eyes widened in surprise when Vincent suddenly kissed him, pressing their bodies together against the headboard. His mouth opened almost immediately, and the gunman slipped his tongue inside, searching for Cid's. They met and began to dance, a rhythm that both men's bodies unconsciously recognized. Vincent's tongue slid along Cid's, sending a spark of arousal shooting straight to his groin.

He knew now why Cid haunted his dreams and why he couldn't stop thinking about him. The man had a way of crawling inside his thoughts and breaking down his barriers. For the moment, he completely forgot about Lucrecia and his revenge and Hojo. He pushed aside his concerns with the demons and everything else, concentrating only on the here and now.

The pilot brought his arms up to wrap around Vincent's neck, eager to deepen the kiss as he settled comfortably into the embrace. It felt so right. Warmth washed over him and that defining enigmatic, spicy scent that was pure Valentine. The drunkenness of the scotch faded, washed away by the inebriation provided by kissing the man that had already captured him.

It was a need to breathe that finally separated them as Vincent began to trail small licks across the blond's stubbly jaw and heading for the sensitive area on his neck at the base of his jaw and earlobe. His tongue curled along the flesh, his flesh hand slipping off the pilot's shoulder to trail down the bared skin of his lover's back, warm and supple beneath his touch. He could feel every shift of Cid's muscle beneath his fingers.

"Vince…" Cid moaned, voice turned breathy at the ex-Turk's touch. He could still taste that kiss, rolling around inside his mouth, and Vincent's warm hand on his back was encouraging his already hardening length. He rocked forward against the ex-Turk, arousal straining beneath his jeans.

Vincent nibbled at Cid's neck, eliciting another moan from the pilot. "Just let me do this one thing for you…" he offered in a voice that hinged on pleading, nipping again at the blond's neck. "I can help you forget about it all, make you feel good." He pulled back, crimson eyes meeting sky blue.

Cid searched Vincent's face, unsure of what he should do. He desired the man, but then again, he also remembered what happened the last time they had sex. But he felt so damn good pressed up against him.

He stuttered, uncertain of his choice. "I…" the pilot trailed off, chewing on his lip in indecision. They would be stepping beyond simple friendship. Was Vincent going to act the same again?

Cid took a deep breath. What to do?

---

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed. Leave a review before you go!


	15. Reconciliation

Seems shorter, but only because I edited out the sex scene that I'm not allowed to post here. Links can be found on my author's page to places where it is posted. Thanks everyone!

(Inner thought)

**Chapter Fifteen: Reconciliation **

Cid Highwind was a man who wholly believed in taking risks, jumping when others feared and stayed behind. He wasn't the type to hide behind his fears or be afraid of making mistakes. It was for that reason alone that he gave into his desires and took what was being offered, what he had wanted for so long and thought he would never have again.

Looking at the raven-haired man before him, one who began as an enemy and then became an awkward friend, lover, then nothing at all in the space of a couple of weeks, Cid knew what he desired. And the gunman was offering it to him on a silver platter. Who was he to say no?

In front of him, the gunman stirred, clearly uneasy and feeling like he was being rejected. "I can leave now," Vincent offered, breaking through the silence. "I will walk out the door if you want me to." It would be as much as he deserved for the way that he had treated Cid the first time.

"No," the pilot mumbled slowly as he shook his head. Vincent looked at him, wondering which question he was answering. "No," Cid repeated, locking eyes with the gunman. "Stay," he quietly commanded before leaning in to lock the ex-Turk in a scorching kiss, searing with the heat of desire.

He pushed into Vincent's mouth with his tongue, eagerly seeking out the gunman's spicy and unique flavor. Meanwhile, his hands found themselves hurriedly unclasping the other man's cloak, eager to feel skin on skin.

The gunman accepted Cid's kiss as he gently pulled the pilot forward with his human hand, unbuttoning his pants with the other. It became of race of frantic desperation to remove unnecessary articles of clothing. He broke away from the kiss, quieting the blond's protests when he started nipping gently on the pilot's neck, slightly sharpened canines scraping sensuously across tanned skin.

"Fuck, Vince…" Cid moaned, tendrils of desire beginning to curl in his belly. "I want you so bad. "

Vincent didn't reply, instead choosing to pull away and standing swiftly. Stunned by the sudden loss of contact, Cid blinked up at him, rather confused. His brain was still somewhat muddled by the sudden turn of events. The gunman began to shed his clothes, not wasting any time as he tore them off and threw them to the floor.

The pilot blinked in sudden understanding as he fumbled to remove pants as well. Heat pooled in his belly as pale skin was exposed, muscles shifting gracefully beneath flesh. His mouth went dry, blood filling his cock instantly.

Finally, the other man crawled back onto the bed and up Cid's body until he was face to face with the pilot, propped up on his elbows. Vincent locked eyes with Cid as their cocks brushed against each other.

"You're in my head," Vincent commented as he shifted his weight to his left arm, trailing his right hand down the other man's bared chest, ghosting his fingers over the skin and pebbling a dusky nipple. Cid shivered visibly beneath his touch, instantly aroused by that barely there touch. "I don't understand it."

Cid grinned in response, clearly pleased by Vincent's admission. "And I ain't leavin' anytime soon," he teased, reaching up and brushing some of the other man's long hair out of his face, and Vincent closed his eyes at the simple yet caring touch.

* * *

Vincent closed his eyes and settled comfortably on Cid. His right hand found itself cradled on the pilot's broad and well-muscled chest, even as his left had unconsciously thrust itself over the side of the bed. The blond wrapped his arms around him, unconsciously stroking his back, fingers tracing the scars.

"Will you be here in the morning?" Cid asked in a quiet voice.

Vincent's eyes snapped open at that question. He moved his hand slightly, tracing odd symbols on his lover's chest, just delighting in the feel of his skin.

"Unless you want me to leave," he answered softly. He hoped that Cid wouldn't turn him away, although he knew he deserved it.

Cid shifted his weight so that they laid on their sides and the gunman was no longer crushing him. "Are you going to run?"

"Not this time," Vincent answered truthfully, making a split-second decision. "I want to be here for whatever happens."

Cid understood what the other man meant. "I only hope that you don't have to. I don't want that anymore." He pulled Vincent in closer to him, nuzzling into the gunman's hair, inhaling its scent.

Vincent sighed, admitting the truth when it was easier to do so, not looking his lover in the eye. Yes, that was what they were: lovers now, not just friends.

"I am still afraid, Cid, for many reasons you will never understand."

"Will you ever tell me?"

"When I learn to believe in man again and I can afford to trust… perhaps." Vincent sighed, closing his eyes in exhaustion. It felt wonderful to be close to his pilot, like he belonged there. "Or maybe sooner. I just don't know because I don't understand myself. I can't explain it but--"

Cid hushed him, interrupting what was probably going to be a lengthy monologue on all of his faults and mistakes. They would talk more later. Right now, he just wanted to take the moment for what it was.

"Jes sleep."

---

"Has anyone seen Vincent?" Nanaki asked as he strolled into the common room that housed a few vending machines and a couple tables. It was for the crew to hang out on their breaks or generally get to know each other. Right now, it was mostly deserted, only Yuffie and Reeve present.

"Why?" Reeve asked as he sipped on a fizzy drink, something called Kalm Kola.

The fire-wolf padded over, leaping up into a chair at the table that both Reeve and Yuffie occupied. "I have to ask him something." He unconsciously leaned his head toward the ninja, receiving a pat and a head scratch for his troubles.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him since we came back from North Corel," Reeve answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"I think I know," Yuffie answered slyly. She unwrapped the plastic from around the chocolate confection she was currently consuming and shoved the rest of it in her mouth, chewing happily. Little flecks of dark chocolate stuck out jauntily on her chin.

Nanaki raised a brow. "Please tell me, Yuffie. I've been searching for a while now," he responded, flicking her gently with his tail. "He wasn't in his room or on the deck, and I cannot think where else he could be." There were very few places that Vincent chose to hide, so when someone actually sought him out, he was usually easy to find. As if he really was a vampire, Vincent preferred dark and solitary locations where he could brood in solitude. Yet, if you asked him, he wouldn't admit to the brooding.

"Did you check Cid's room?" the little ninja asked mischievously, catching the lion-wolf's tail. Her brown eyes sparkled with secretive naughtiness.

The two males gave her confused and startled looks. "Why on Gaia would he search there?" Reeve asked with bewilderment.

Yuffie shrugged innocently, running her fingers through Nanaki's tail fur. "An hour or so ago I saw Mr. Dark and Scary standing outside Highwind's room. As far as I know, he hasn't left yet." She grinned, winking at the both of them.

The ex-ShinRa's eyes widened in surprise, while Nanaki seemed unaffected by the news.

"What?" The ninja pouted looking at the fire-lion unhappily. "You aren't surprised?"

"I had already guessed," Nanaki answered smugly, a wolfish smile on his face. He pulled his tail free and again flicked the ninja.

"Ah, damn!" she cursed. "I thought only I knew."

The ex-executive, gaping like a fish, managed to pull a collective coherent thought. "Are they together?" he asked with surprise.

The ninja and Nanaki shrugged in unison. "Can't say for sure, but it looks that way to me." Yuffie grinned, attempting to catch the pesky tail once more.

"How… interesting…" Reeve mused as he slumped back in his chair, Kalm Kola completely forgotten. Perhaps his relationship would not be as looked down upon as he had thought. Strange, he never really took Valentine for the type to be interested in men. Then again, stranger things had happened. Take himself for instance.

Nanaki asked innocently, "What of you, Reeve?" His tail batted Yuffie in the face before darting away, and the ninja mock-snarled.

Amber eyes blinked. "Huh?"

"Well, you know…" Yuffie continued for the lion-wolf, her game with his tail forgotten as she attempted nonchalance. It appeared that the two mischievous friends were preparing to gang up on poor Reeve. "Cid lives with Shera. Barret was married at one time. Vincent did have Lucrecia, though that's in the past. Cloud had something going on with Tifa or Aeris… or maybe both." She suddenly smirked. "What about you?"

Reeve reddened faintly as his mind instantly brought him images of a redhead with laughing aquamarine eyes. "I have never been married," he deftly answered with a smile.

The fire-lion and Yuffie exchanged a glance, and something unspoken passed between them.

Golden eyes sparkled as Nanaki propped his forelimbs on the table, resting his head on them and eyeing Reeve intently. "That is not entirely what we asked."

"You got a special someone, Kitty?" the ninja inquired, pushing the subject.

Reeve groaned, slapping a hand to his forehead as he slumped in his chair. "Why do you insist on calling me 'Kitty?'"

Yuffie laughed, clearly amused by his discomfort. "You're changing the subject, Reeve," she declared, shaking a finger at him.

"Besides, isn't it obvious," the lion-wolf snorted, interrupting them. He glanced at Reeve, whose face was still burning with embarrassment. He knew what the man was trying to hide but still thought it fun to tease him. It was not often that Nanaki acted his "human" age, but Yuffie tended to bring it out in him more than most.

The former ShinRa shook his head. "No, it's not."

"Cait's a cat, isn't he?" the ninja asked.

"Yeah… but…"

"Well, if you look close enough, you do kinda look alike." Yuffie giggled again.

"What!" the ex-ShinRa yelled indignantly. His entire face flushed as he considered finding a mirror. He didn't look like a cartoon cat… did he?

Yuffie laughed, waving her hand at him as tears of mirth filled her eyes. Even Nanaki chuckled beside her. Reeve huffed with righteous anger that lasted for all of two seconds before his younger companions exchanged mischievous glances.

"So, about your lover…" Nanaki began, locking eyes with the ex-executive.

"What? I never said--"

Yuffie interrupted smoothly, flustering Reeve completely. "Is there?"

Blinking, Reeve scrambled for something appropriate to say. "Well…" he began slowly, stalling for time. "There is someone--"

But they latched onto his slow admission like a fish onto dangling bait. "Who is it?" Yuffie pressed, attempting a look of pure innocence. She leaned forward on the table, putting her chin in her hands. "Someone we know?"

Reeve blushed again, his face darkening even more, if that was at all possible. He appeared to be searching for a way to answer that question without revealing too much.

"Oh, Vincent!!" he exclaimed suddenly, eyes widening as he looked past Nanaki and Yuffie. Both turned their backs on the ex-executive expecting to see the gunman in the doorway. And the ex-ShinRa took this chance to escape, darting from the common room before they could notice.

"There's no one there," Yuffie complained aloud as she turned back around. "I think you're-- He's gone!" she exclaimed, brown eyes wide with confusion.

"He is a sneaky one," Nanaki commented, eyes twinkling with merriment. "I cannot believe we fell for that."

Yuffie pouted. "I was having fun teasing him. He gets flustered so easily." She sighed before smiling impishly, holding up one hand. "At least, I got this for my trouble."

Golden eyes widened before Nanaki chuckled. "He has probably given it up as a lost cause."

The ninja fluttered her eyes at him innocently. "Well, he shouldn't have run away. We could have had a lot more fun." She shook her head. "Wait until he finds out we already know."

Nanaki nodded. "Until then, let him believe he has his secrets." He raised an eyebrow at her. "So was Vincent really standing outside Cid's door?"

"Yep!" Yuffie responded cheerily, bounding out of her chair to get another chocolate bar from the vending machine, not that she needed any more energy. "But he had a really scary look on his face. Almost like he was arguing with himself." She frowned in thought, caramel or crunch, before she giggled again. "He even had his hand raised to knock, and it was just kinda hanging there." She mimicked the ex-Turk's actions eliciting another giggle.

"Hmm," the fire-wolf responded thoughtfully. "Caramel," he suggested, knowing that she was having trouble deciding. There was a blip and a thunk as the candy dropped down before Yuffie bounced back to her seat, unwrapping the chocolate with a very hungry look on her face. "You know, some humans would be bothered by a homosexual relationship."

Yuffie shrugged, already biting into the gooey candy. "I guess I should be," she answered thoughtfully. "It's one of those super taboo things by Dao-Chao, but then again, so is stealing." She giggled. "I don't really follow any of my father's rules, so why would I with this one?" she answered around a mouthful of gooey caramel.

Nanaki shrugged. "I do not know. Humans think rather strangely."

"Besides," continued Yuffie. "Vinnie's all gloom and doom, and the old man needs a break. If you ask me, they're perfect for each other." She scrunched her nose then. "Maybe Vin can get Cid to quit smoking."

Nanaki laughed. "Push them together for your own selfish gain, hmm?" he questioned.

"It is a nasty habit," she retorted indignantly, sitting up straighter in her chair before peering at him. "Do you mind them together?"

The lion-wolf snorted. "What do I care what humans do in their private time?" he asked rhetorically before his voice turned solemn. "The only one I can see making a big deal is Barret. He seems to turn irrational at the slightest irregularity."

"He'll get over it," the ninja answered, stuffing the last bit of the chocolate bar in her mouth, crinkling the wrapping in one fist. "And if he doesn't, I'll kick his ass and--"

"Steal all his materia," Nanaki finished for her, shooting the ninja a wolfish grin. "Your priorities are certainly clear."

She pouted before changing the topic to something a bit more serious. "You think Cloud's going to be all right?"

Nanaki frowned as he sighed. "I do not know, Yuffie. I can't even begin to guess."

---

Vincent sneezed, barely managing to cover up the impromptu reaction before another one struck him with enough force to shake the bed. It was rather odd; he never really took ill now that the demons infested his body. Brushing a few strands of hair out of his face, he glanced down at his lover, hoping that the sneezes hadn't woken Cid.

"You know, if you sneeze twice that means someone's talking about ya," the pilot commented in a somewhat groggy voice.

Crimson eyes rolled as Vincent stared into the darkness, not even remembering when or who had gotten up to turn off the light. "That's an old wives' tale," he retorted, shifting his position to get more comfortable. Cid was like a damn furnace, so he ended up pushing off the covers, allowing himself room to breathe. It was warm enough that sweat clung to his pale body.

Cid grunted but didn't make a verbal response, tightening his arms around Vincent's body so that his lover couldn't escape. Not that the gunman particularly wanted to, but Cid wasn't taking any chances. He wasn't allowing Vincent to leave without a proper discussion.

After a moment of silence and listening to the steady thrum of his lover's heartbeat, Vincent broke the quiet. "Cid?" he questioned tentatively, half-expecting the pilot to have fallen back asleep that quickly.

"Hmm?" Cid responded sleepily, not even moving at all. The sound reverberated in his chest.

Vincent took a deep breath. "What are we now?"

The pilot grunted, one calloused finger beginning to draw tiny circles across Vincent's scarred back. "What d'you want us ta be?"

The gunman fell silent, fully considering the question. It was difficult. There was a thick line between what he wanted and what he could have. To accept being with Cid was like abandoning everything he had ever felt for Lucrecia, almost as if he was betraying her. Could he add that to his conscience on top of everything else?

He had failed her. Who was to say he wouldn't do the same again? Was he just making the same mistakes?

"Cause I won't settle for anything less than you being mine," added in Cid, cutting through Vincent's inner thoughts. "Ya can't back out this time, Vince. It ain't that easy."

The gunman chewed his lip in indecision, knowing what it was Cid wanted him to say. Although it had been his original question, he wasn't exactly certain what it was he wanted anymore. He wanted Cid. He wanted revenge. He couldn't forget about Lucrecia. He wanted his memories.

Somehow, it all seemed counterproductive. Was his love so fickle that he could forget about her so quickly in the face of one cursing, smoking, gruff pilot?

Needing more time to think and hating being put on the spot, Vincent quickly sought to change the subject. "I think that we should visit, Cloud," he murmured quietly, internally berating himself for his own cowardice. He ignored the amused chuckles of the demons, pushing them down and building up his mental blocks once more.

Cid mentally sighed, figuring it would take a while yet to crack his vampire all the way through. He took the topic change for the distraction it was and cracked open one blue eye, craning his neck to look down into crimson eyes.

"Why?"

Vincent shrugged. "It might make you feel better," he suggested, shifting his body and pulling up the dangling claw arm. He shoved it beneath a pillow where it wouldn't do any damage.

"Or worse…" Cid mumbled closing his eye again and sighing. He settled back into the bed and proceeded to attempt a return to sleep. He was tired, both bodily and mentally.

"Well?" Vincent prompted after a moment of hesitation.

The pilot mumbled something under his breath before sliding one leg over the gunman's, entrapping him completely. "We'll go tomorrow," he grumbled. "Now, go to sleep; it ain't even morning yet."

Despite himself, the gunman smiled as he closed his eyes and drifted off, daring to hope for a night without nightmares.

----

Leave a review before you go! Thanks!


	16. Mideelan Mayhem

**Chapter Sixteen: Mideelan Mayhem**

The Highwind landed on the outskirts of Mideel, and everyone proceeded to tumble out. Most were excited to be checking on Cloud again, despite his condition. Even if he never came out of that mako-induced coma, he would always be a part of them. He would always be their leader.

Cid, Vincent, and Yuffie went into Mideel first, though it took some convincing for the others to remain behind for the moment. After a steady stream of curses and Highwind glares that weren't really that effective, the others wrangled a promise out of Cid to bring back information, and the unlikely trio was on its way, Yuffie skipping ahead of the two men and seeming every bit the sixteen year old that she was. She hummed quietly under her breath, some type of calm marching song, but there was a mischievous look to her eyes.

"You know," she called back to the two men as she walked a few steps ahead of them. "Nanaki was looking for you last night."

"Who?" Cid asked, not really paying any attention to her as he tried to catch glimpses of Vincent's ass beneath the cloak without looking like he was staring. He puffed on a cigarette, oblivious to the death stares the other man was sending his way.

"Vincent," she added without turning around as she twirled a shuriken around one nimble finger. "He said he had to ask you something, but he couldn't find you." She paused, turning to walk backwards as she locked eyes on the gunman. "Where were you?"

Vincent shrugged. "Where I always am," he answered vaguely. He could feel Cid's eyes on him, but he didn't turn to check. He wasn't sure if the pilot was all that ready to make their relationship known. Truthfully, he wasn't sure if he wanted to make the announcement just yet. They hadn't officially decided what they were to each other; he hadn't personally decided yet.

"Is that so?" the ninja questioned, the corner of her mouth turned up into a grin. "Reeve was real flustered about something yesterday, too."

Cid snarled, his nerves stretched thin. "Just shut up already, you little brat; yer gettin' on the grown ups nerves!!" he exclaimed, puffing madly on his cigarette. He inhaled quickly, calming when the nicotine hit his bloodstream.

Yuffie huffed and turned on her heels, facing the proper direction once again. She was actually quite amused to have been able to fluster the old man; it was always so easy. Vincent, however, was glad for his high collar as it hid his slight smile. It was rather entertaining to watch Cid and Yuffie fight. It was similar to a father and his teenage daughter.

They made it to the clinic without further incident, planning on making their visit reasonably short so that the others could visit Cloud as well. It was quiet within, the distinct scent of antiseptic and cleaner assailing their nostrils as they entered. There were few patients inside the clinic besides Cloud, and he didn't seem to be making much noise, just staring off blankly into space.

"Well," Cid began, crossing his arms as he strode directly up to the grey-haired doctor and fixed him with one of his famous Highwind glares. "How's he doin'?" He tipped his head in greeting to Barret as well, the other man giving a brief wave of recognition.

The elderly man looked up at the surly pilot from over the rim of his glasses as he idly perused the patient file in front of him. "There has been no change," he replied with a slight sigh, flipping the folder closed. "He has gotten neither better nor worse."

From his position at a nearby card table, where his rather large bulk was crammed uncomfortably into a small chair, Barret sighed. He laid down the cards he was holding, stopping his game with one of the nurses on duty. In a clinic as small as this, it wasn't uncommon for the aides to become bored.

"He just fuckin' sits and stares all day," the gun-armed man commented, brown eyes darting towards the doorway briefly before returning his attention to their visitors. "Seeing without really seeing, you know?"

Vincent frowned as he absorbed this information. "There has been no response to any kind of stimuli?" he questioned, musing aloud and taking part in the conversation for once.

The doctor shook his head, briefly wondering how this oddly dressed man seemed to know so much about medicine. "None at all. Light, temperature, pain… I have tried everything."

As the men talked, Yuffie bounded into the small room where Cloud was sitting in the wheel chair, staring blankly into space. However, it was hard to tell that look different from his usual somewhat confused expression. She folded her arms behind her back as she bent over and peered directly into mako blue eyes, getting so close that they practically shared the same breath.

"Cloud," she chimed, tilting her head to the side. "Are you in there?" When no response came, she giggled and ruffled her fingers through his blond spikes, fulfilling a long desire to know if they were as stiff as they looked. "Aw," she cooed. "His hair is soft!"

Cid whirled around at the sound of her annoying coos, narrowing his eyes on the infuriating ninja. He opened his mouth to berate her when suddenly the ground beneath them began to shudder violently, nearly throwing them from their feet. Test tubes and beakers rattled loudly, a few crashing to floor and shattering as the nurses hurried to stabilize their patients.

"What tha fuck?" Cid demanded, flailing his arms to keep his balance and shooting a glare at Vincent, who didn't seem the least bit bothered by the sudden shaking. He was perfectly on balance.

However, it was Cloud who responded, looking up with jerky movements. "They're… they're coming," he muttered, pupils dilating eerily. The members of AVALANCHE turned towards him in astonishment as Barret rose to his feet, fighting to keep his balance and yanking Yuffie away from the once comatose man.

"What the hell's comin'?" he demanded.

But Cloud said nothing else, lips moving soundlessly and his head lolling loosely.

Behind him, the pilot made his way to the door, throwing it open with a loud bang.

His eyes widened in shock.

"What the #$!!" he exclaimed, dashing outside. Yuffie and Vincent were right behind him, the ninja having worked her way free from Barret's hold.

The pilot skidded to a stop as his mouth gaped open, fingers twitching with a sudden need for a cigarette. Yuffie slammed into his back, unprepared for the abrupt stop, while Vincent smoothly avoided both.

"Weapon," the ex-Turk breathed, looking up with wide crimson eyes. "It is attacking?" he commented, the words coming out more as a question. His hand automatically went to the gun at his side.

Sky blue eyes narrowed as Cid pulled out his spear, twirling it about an expert finger as he exchanged determined looks with his two companions. In the same moment, Barret skidded to a stop just inside the doorway of the Clinic, a surprised expletive escaping from his mouth.

"Get Cloud and the doc and everyone else, and get the hell out of here!!" the Captain ordered over his shoulder, already knowing what he must do. He wasn't really looking forward to taking on such a big beast, but he didn't see any other choice.

Barret nodded wordlessly and disappeared inside, his bellows easily echoing back to the others.

"Looks like that big ugly beast is up to us!" Yuffie exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear with excitement. "I've been looking for a challenge."

Cid scoffed. "What… Sephiroth not enough for ya?"

Her response was cut off as Ultimate Weapon gave a roar, swiping its claws through Mideel and taking off the thatched roofs of many homes. The time for talk was past; now, they had to step quickly into action. Exchanging glances, the three AVALANCHE members moved to intercept the creature before it did too much more destruction. People were depending on them, after all.

Vincent was the first to attack, firing his Winchester from a distance and aiming for Weapon's hooded eyes. Though his shots were true, the damage he inflicted was minimal at best. It only served to enrage the beast and cause it to swipe angrily at Cid and Yuffie, who were skittering around its feet.

The pilot swore loudly, dancing to avoid the larger monster's attacks, pulling out a stick of dynamite and lobbing it at Weapon before backing away. He grinned with the encouraging sound of an explosion. Yuffie decided to go straight to materia, whipping out the Time she had pilfered from Reeve earlier and attempting to cast Stop.

Dynamite exploded in the monster's face at the same moment it was hit by the Stop spell. Ultima Weapon roared, swinging its massive tail around and knocking down a stand of trees as it struggled to clear away the smoke, its movements slowed but not ceased. The Time spell had no effect.

"We'll have to be more destructive," Vincent intoned, already searching through his materia for something with a bit more power. He could hear the demons within him raging to come out and fight the bigger monster, but he refused to rely on them unless absolutely necessary.

Something shimmered in the air as each of them was suddenly wrapped in a magical barrier, the result of Yuffie's cast. She grinned at the two men, jumping back into battle with a loud cry as she hefted up her Crystal Cross.

Cid shook his head grimly. "Cloud carried all the heavy stuff, remember?" he commented. "And summons always drain me, so I don't bother with 'em."

The gunman frowned, opening his mouth to respond when Ultimate Weapon suddenly stilled, massive head swiveling back to focus on some unknown location in the distance. It even ignored Yuffie as she perpetually attacked it with her shuriken, only idly swiping her as if distracted. She frowned in confusion, hopping back to stand beside the two males and swiftly catching her returning Crystal Cross.

"What's it doin'?" Cid questioned, fingers tightening around his Partisan. Oftentimes, such a look on a monster's face was accompanied by its most dangerous attack.

Suddenly, the ground beneath them gave a violent tremble, distinctly different from the movement caused by Weapon's massive body. As the humans on the ground struggled to maintain their footing, Ultimate Weapon spread its wings like an animal sensing danger and rose into the air. The wind from its take-off kicked up a great plume of dust, nearly blinding them and knocking Yuffie off of her feet, causing her to tumble to the ground.

"Wh… what!" exclaimed the ninja, clinging to the ground as it heaved and shuddered so violently that her teeth clacked in her throat. "What the hell?"

Vincent shook his head, somehow managing to look completely calm and in control. "It is the Lifestream," he intoned, seeming very unperturbed. "It is coming to the surface." He frowned, not explaining how he knew such information.

Screams of terror from the Mideelan villagers rose around them as residents ran past, heading out of the town and to the forest, hoping that they would find safety there. Vincent made his way to Yuffie's side, hauling the ninja to her feet as Cid managed to shakily join his companions, feeling the desperate need for a cigarette. Ultimate Weapon had left but only because it's survival instincts were so strong. It seemed to have known what was coming.

Cid's eyes raked over the frantic looks of the villagers, his gaze automatically drawn to the hospital. As he watched, the doctor and the nurse suddenly came running out, quickly followed by Barret pushing the nearly comatose Cloud in his wheelchair. With them being taken care of, there was little left for the rest of them to do but run.

"Vincent! Yuffie! Get the hell out of here!!" he yelled, already turning on his heels and sprinting for the forest. A brief scan of the sky revealed the Highwind rising into the air some distance away, probably taking shelter from the shifting ground. He dimly heard the sounds of Vincent and Yuffie running behind him before sneaking a glance over his shoulder. He spotted Barret huffing with a scared look on his face that was actually rather amusing.

Satisfied, Cid returned his attention to his fleeing, not feeling any loss of pride for his flight. Suddenly, a brilliant plume of green liquid spurted up from the ground twenty feet away from him. His eyes widened in surprise as he jerked to a stop, dodging to avoid it. Vincent and Yuffie rushed past him, and he made no attempt to call them back.

The spurt took out the Item Shop in one fell swoop, several spatters hitting a few unlucky villagers who were unable to escape the Lifestream's rage. He couldn't watch and turned away, inwardly disgusted. It wouldn't be long before all of Mideel became little more than a pile of luminescent, green goop.

He noted that Barret was very near to the archway over the exit, hauling ass he pushed the wheelchair rapidly across the ground, Cloud's head bobbing on top of his body like a rag doll. The ground rumbled and shook, groaning like some great beast before it spewed one and then another great geyser of mako into the air.

A crack split across the ground, splintering and splicing as it began to break through the sand and dirt, crumbling houses in its wake. The pilot sucked in a horrified breath, turning to flee once more when he looked over his shoulder, only to gape with dismay. The ground gave one extremely violent heave before a geyser of Lifestream shot up from the center of the town, larger than all the others combined, throwing up blocks of stone in all directions. They crashed into buildings and the surrounding forest.

Barret and Cloud were tossed into the air like they were nothing more than toys, immediately separated. The gun-armed man landed in a rough pile of human limbs near Cid, grunting as he struck with enough force to probably crack a few ribs. Cloud landed several yards away, his wheelchair striking a stone and breaking to pieces as he crashed with a huge splash into the churning depths of the Lifestream. No emotion even registered on his blank and unexpressive face as he disappeared in its depths.

"Cloud!" Cid yelled, despite himself, taking a step forward, only to throw himself to the side when a mako-coated rock launched itself at him, sailing over his head and taking out the 'Welcome to Mideel' sign.

Slabs of rock slid into the Lifestream, sending splashes and gouts of mako up into the air as the ground gave one last tremor before abruptly shuddering into stillness. An unnatural quiet settled then, an eerie silence only broken by the creak of rock fragments sliding together. Those that had escaped stared in wonder, tears streaking down some of their faces as they struggled to understand what had just occurred.

Cid leapt to his feet, fear clenching his heart. He dimly heard the sounds of the others around him, Yuffie rushing to check on Barret and Vincent's almost silent footsteps. However, he paid them no mind as he rushed to the edge of the mako pool in the center of town, eyes scanning the still surface. He couldn't see anything, and all of his hopes for rescinding leadership began to fade.

"Is he there?" Yuffie asked from where she stood casting a Heal and Cure subsequently on Barret. Her voice was nearly frantic, brown eyes widening with fear and concern. "Can you see him?"

Vincent appeared beside his lover, red eyes solemn as he searched the mako with his more acute vision. Bits of stone and wood, trees and other fragments of Mideel were slowly sinking into pool. He could make out a few bodies, all of them unmoving, but none looked anything close to their spiky-haired leader. Perhaps Cloud really had been lost for good.

Next to him, he could sense the slight tremble of Cid's body, the Captain frantically sweeping his eyes over the remains of the island town. The gunman risked a glance backwards, noting that no one was paying any attention to them. In the sky, the Highwind was preparing to land now that the tremors had faded, and he suspected the others would be joining them soon enough. He decided to take a slight risk and lifted up his hand, placing it briefly on the blond's shoulder and attempting a comforting squeeze.

"You're strong," Vincent commented quietly. "You can do this."

Cid shook his head. "I'm the Captain, not Mr. Fucking AVALANCHE. I don't want to do this," he returned bitterly before a scowl twisted up his features, instantly surprising the ex-Turk. "You fucker!" he spat, referring to Cloud and not Vincent. "You're supposed to come back and take care of this!"

Vincent's face darkened with concern. "Cid…" He sighed, but hearing Nanaki and Reeve approach, his hand quickly dropped, falling to hang uselessly at his side.

"What happened?" the former executive asked. Beside him, Nanaki sniffed the air delicately, golden eyes widening in surprise as he took one step forward, only half-listening to the pilot's explanation.

"The fuckin' Lifestream's what happened," Cid snapped. "Exploded and blew everything around here to #$$! Cloud's fuckin' disappeared and--"

Suddenly, the lion-wolf bounded forward, instantly attracting everyone's attention as he headed for the shallows of the mako pool, twenty feet to the west of them. Cid's eyes followed his movements, finally catching sight of what had caught Nanaki's attention. A blond, spiky head was poking above the mako, half-slumped on the shore, which begged the question of how he had missed such a familiar person.

Ignoring the thin wash of mako around him, Nanaki clamped his teeth on the back of Cloud's shirt and gingerly tried to pull the heavier male out. He was pushed aside just as quickly by a recently healed Barret, the burlier man reaching down and hauling the blond to shore with relative ease. Cloud was covered in the green substance, even his bright hair stained an oddly mold-like color, but worse of all, he wasn't breathing.

"Step aside! Move out of the way!" A gruff voice ordered, pushing through the members of AVALANCHE that had gathered around the unconscious blond. Reluctantly, they moved, letting the grizzled doctor through.

He knelt at the blond's side, checking for a pulse. "He's alive but not breathing," the man announced. "Give me some room."

The friends held their collective breaths, faces pinched with worry as they watched the old man tilt their leader's head backwards. They could only pray and hope that something miraculous would occur as the seconds ticked by, each seeming like a never-ending hour. Cid could feel his entire body stiffening, poised, like he was standing on the edge of the knife waiting for the doctor to give the final prognosis.

Then suddenly, with a gasp and a sputter, Cloud gurgled up a good bit of mako, coughing and choking. He didn't wake, but he finally sucked in a shuddery breath, his chest rising and falling once more. He was breathing; he would live, but whether or not he would regain consciousness was up in the air. The doctor hefted up his upper body with Barret's help and clapped him a few solid times on the back as Cloud automatically spat up a few more globs of mako.

Checking his pulse and listening to the rise and fall of his chest, the doctor nodded. "He's alive, though don't ask me how." Lifting one hand, he peeled open their leader's eyelids, peering at the unresponsive pupils. "But I don't know if he will wake up. With a second dose of mako so close to the first, he may not at all. All we can do is wait." He gently laid Cloud back down on the ground. "Someone find me a blanket."

"The nurse is bringing one now," Reeve said softly, as the members of AVALANCHE backed off a little now that Cloud was out of the danger zone.

"What now?" Barret put in, rising to his feet and looking towards their temporary leader.

Cid shook his head, taking an unconscious step backwards. "Just wait a bit," he suggested, hands clenched tightly at his side. "I… uh, I'm going to go check on the Highwind. Stay here with Cloud." He turned on his heels and hurriedly walked away from the group without another glance.

Yuffie crinkled her brow as she helped the nurse spread the blanket over Cloud. "But the Highwind is the other way," she commented.

Vincent frowned, crimson eyes watching Cid's rapid retreat. He was certain that all was not well with the Captain. He waited for everyone's attention to be diverted before he quietly and surreptitiously slipped away, intent on following after the pilot's quickly disappearing form. Knowing their recent conversation, he was certain that the man probably needed a listening ear for the moment. While Cid was a Captain, leading their group was not in the job description and was more stress than he ever wanted.

Therefore, Vincent wasn't surprised when he found the blond out in the forest, far away from the new mako pool. He was sitting on the ground against a tree, staring blankly into nothing and smoking. Small tendrils of grey fumes rose above his head, only to disappear into the thick canopy above.

Cid looked up as the gunman approached, a strangely dull gleam in his normally bright blue eyes. "Have a seat, Vin," he offered, patting the ground next to him. "S'nice and peaceful out here," he continued as the former Turk gingerly lowered himself down next to the pilot. "No brain dead blonds or ShinRa tryin' to take over the world."

He was quiet a moment before he responded. Cid was indeed right. It was peaceful in the forest, surrounded by nothing but a calm silence.

"I wish I had something comforting to say, but I never was really good at it," Vincent admitted.

The pilot laughed, but it was bitter. "That's because you'd rather say the truth, and the truth ain't pretty. But that's okay. I think I've resigned myself to this." He puffed on his cigarette. "I jes needed a break." He flicked ashes off to the side, one finger adjusting the goggles on his head.

"That I can understand." Vincent smiled briefly before leaning back, laying his head against the smooth bark of the tree. Tropical plants always confused him; they were so different from the ones he was used to, including a lack of rough bark.

"I'd like to see that again," Cid commented from beside him.

The gunman raised a brow. "See what?"

"That smile." He sucked in the last of his cigarette before grinding down the small flame in the soil. He leaned over after flicking the empty butt away, putting one hand on Vincent's cheek and directing the gunman to look at him. When red eyes popped open, Cid pressed their lips together in a gentle kiss that surprised the gunman with its tenderness.

Something fluttered inside of him, Cid's lips working against his and asking for entrance rather than demanding. His tongue slipped inside, coaxing Vincent's out to play. Of its own accord, the gunman's flesh hand settled itself on Cid's thigh, squeezing him gently. A rush of emotion, something he had been trying to suppress with thick wall of ice, started to surge to the surface without his permission.

Their tongues danced together in a most erotic way, stirring desires deep inside of them. In an attempt to end what could not be started, Cid reluctantly broke away. His eyes skirted downwards, however, in a gesture that Vincent recognized as being one of deep contemplation. He was always so easy to read; his heart worn on his sleeve with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

"Do ya think Spike'll ever come out of it?" he asked, fingers twitching as though he wanted another cigarette, despite having just finished it.

Vincent sighed. "I honestly don't know," he responded, shifting his gaze to the canopy of branches overhead. "The fact that he's alive at all is a miracle, so my guess is probably. That kid must have an angel on his side because his existence is simply a miracle if any of his story is to be believed." The gunman shook his head. "Facing Sephiroth all those years ago and still living now? Facing him again and tempting the fates? It is not something the unlucky would attempt."

"You're right," Cid commented, face suddenly brightening. "Kid's got more lives than a cat. I ain't got nothin' to worry about." Vincent couldn't help but shake his head at the pilot's sudden change. He certainly wasn't one to dwell, was he? "Speaking of the past… Reeve made it a point to bring up yours to me."

"Did he now?" Vincent was already well aware of this, but he was not going to make mention of that fact. "He had something to say to me as well."

A blond brow rose. "Oh? And what was that?"

The gunman shrugged, returning his gaze to the pilot. "Something about you being a good man, and that I should stop being afraid. Of what, he never specified." He frowned in thought, sudden realization striking him. "It appears he knows about us, and I suspect that Nanaki does also, though I cannot explain how or why."

"Does that bother you? Do ya not want the others to know?" There was a note of worry in Cid's voice and perhaps even a little disappointment.

Vincent pursed his lips as he contemplated Cid's question. "It is not so much that it bothers me as the fact that I simply enjoy my privacy. I would prefer not to hear their most likely immature and uneducated comments," he finally answered. "I will not lie if asked, but I do not feel the need to announce anything either." He shook his head. "I guarantee that one will have something to say, and frankly, I do not want to hear it."

"Hmm." Cid sat back against the tree, stretching his arms over his head. "Well, I can guarantee that Reeve ain't gonna have anythin' negative to say."

Vincent raised a brow, curious despite himself. "Oh?"

The pilot chuckled, true laughter this time as opposed to the distinctly hollow sound of earlier. "Nope. That's not my secret to tell."

The gunman harrumphed as he relaxed against the tree, finding that the peace of the forest was contagious, making him far more gregarious than usual. He had the sudden desire to simply talk to the pilot, something that they hadn't really done before. They had argued and discussed, kissed and fucked, but a true conversation about something trivial was somewhat foreign. He supposed it had to do with the fact that their relationship wasn't quite defined, nor did he know exactly how to apply a designation. He simply didn't know what he wanted and was afraid to ask for too much.

He figured it couldn't hurt to simply speak with Cid about unimportant topics. He wasn't certain why he wanted to do so, just that it seemed and good opportunity, and it was actually nice to speak to someone who wasn't probing for answers and invading his personal space. He wasn't a completely morose loner like the others chose to believe; he simply didn't enjoy people poking into his business.

So he searched his mind for something of interest, finally settling on their surroundings. "You know," he began slowly, waiting until he had Cid's attention before continuing. "I've never been to the tropics before, but I've always loved them."

A blond eyebrow rose in confusion, puzzled by Vincent's unexpected need to talk, not that he was going to pass it up. "I'm surprised, and yet, I'm not. Somehow, it suits you." The pilot smirked.

"I'm not even going to ask why. Somehow, I think the answer will only irritate me," Vincent responded before smiling faintly. "When my mother took me for snow cones, I always asked for Pina Colada." Strange what little memories he could recall and what others he had forgotten. "The flavor reminded me of a place I wanted to go… but couldn't."

"Why not?" asked Cid, actually interested. This was a side of the stoic man that he had never seen before, evidenced by the almost faraway look in crimson eyes.

The gunman shrugged, shifting slightly as he stretched out one of his long legs, easing a cramp. "I never had the money or the time. Then, Nibelheim happened, and after that… well, it's pretty obvious."

A blond head nodded as Cid edged closer, one hand idly tapping out a nonsense rhythm on Vincent's thigh. He wasn't about to bring up the Nibelheim incident or even question his lover about it. He didn't want to spoil the moment. He was waiting for the gunman to tell him on his own.

"Mideel is the kind of place you go to for a vacation. Mebbe when all this is over, we should come back. They might have it all built back up by then."

A dark brow rose in slight surprise and a hint of teasing. "Are you asking me on a date, Chief?"

Immediately, Cid coughed and sputtered, blue eyes widening in shock. "A date's fer women and high-schoolers," he choked, shaking his head. He thumped his chest with one fist as if to demonstrate his mature manliness. "This's a vacation. It's different."

Vincent smiled, surprising his companion with the motion. It was his second one in less than twenty minutes. Obviously, something strange was going on.

"All right then. A vacation."

"Yeah. And your pale ass better show up, too. Get some sun."

"I shall try."

Cid snorted, squeezing Vincent's thigh gently. "You're gonna do better than try if I have to drag you here myself."

A sudden almost embarrassed cough caught their attention as Cid immediately retracted his hand, both looking up to find Nanaki approaching them. The fire-wolf seemed faintly bemused.

"I thought you would be interested to know that Cloud seems to be stirring. The doctor thinks he could awaken at any moment." He sat on his haunches as he regarded the two with a knowing glance, Vincent in particular.

Cid leapt to his feet at the announcement, moving so quickly the ex-Turk hardly registered it. "Yer not fuckin' with me, are ya?" he demanded.

When Nanaki shook his head, the pilot gave an uncharacteristic whoop of glee and practically took off without a goodbye, clearly hoping for the best. Vincent took a more leisurely and sedate approach, rising to his feet and calmly dusting off his cloak as he waited for Nanaki to speak again. At least, judging by the look in golden eyes, he assumed that the lion-wolf had something to say.

"A mutual agreement to never speak of it again, hmm?" Nanaki questioned, obviously referring to the last conversation that they had. At the time, Vincent had been left wondering just what the fire-lion thought he knew. Now, he was certain of it.

Crimson eyes narrowed. "I am not going to explain myself to anyone," he replied curtly, mood instantly souring.

"You don't have to be so frosty with me," Nanaki responded as they began to head back towards Mideel, or truthfully, what was left of it. "I hold no ill thoughts towards that sort of relationship. Nor am I judging."

"Then what is it?" He could not help that his words came out somewhat cross.

Nanaki chuckled. "Idle curiosity mostly, and the fact that I have won a bet, it seems." His tail waved around behind him; he was clearly pleased with himself. "And no, before you ask, I won't say with whom."

Vincent clamped his mouth shut, prepared to ask that very question. Internally, he sighed. Nanaki was one of the more preferred members of the group since he could take to the lion-wolf on an intellectual level that he simply couldn't find in the others. Nevertheless, there were times when he could annoy the gunman more than the others. This happened to be one of them.

"I trust that you will keep our confidence," Vincent finally said after a moment of silence, finding that they were approaching the edge of the forest more quickly than he had initially thought they would.

Nanaki nodded. "Of course. You hadn't even needed to ask."

Vincent shook his head in understand and the two males left it at that, nothing more needing to be said. He didn't know why he trusted Nanaki with his secret or why it didn't even really bother him. That was something better saved for later. For the moment, it was more important to find out whether or not Cloud was conscious

* * *

Cloud eyes fluttered open as he looked up into the worried faces of his friends, hovering so close to him that it was somewhat frightening. He blinked several times as he tried to distinguish one blur from the other, coughing slightly and clearing the remaining mako fluid from his lungs.

"Aeris?" he questioned, as if he would see the auburn-headed female appear before him. He scrunched his eyes shut and then opened them again, hoping it would clear his vision. His head hurt, and his body ached like he had been tossed around in a blender with a bunch of rocks. He didn't even want to consider why. All he knew was that the last thing he remembered was approaching the Northern crater.

"Oh gawd! Ya think he's lost his memory?" came Yuffie's very distinguishable voice.

There was the sound of a palm hitting the back of someone's head as Cloud blinked again. "Not if he remembers Aeris in the first place, dolt!!" a gruff voice exclaimed in response, obviously Cid's.

The spiky-haired blond groaned as his vision slowly focused. He looked up into the concerned faces of every member of AVALANCHE. Even Vincent seemed somewhat worried, if Cloud squinted and tilted his head just to the side.

"Ugh…" the blond moaned, holding his head with his hand as he forced himself into a sitting position, briefly wondering where the hell he was and why he couldn't feel his sword.

Barret harrumphed as he peered down at the younger man, the others stepping back to give him some space. "Are ya alright?" he asked.

The ex-SOLDIER's face twisted into a grimace as he considered the question. He stretched his neck to work out a few kinks and idly noticing that a rather sharp rock was digging into his left butt cheek. It was annoying.

"My head hurts, and I ache all over. Other than that, I'm just peachy," Cloud finally answered, a wry tone to his voice.

To his left, Cid chuckled and reached out a hand, offering to help their leader up. Cloud took the offer and allowed the pilot to heave him to his feet with an almost enthusiastic jerk. He swayed momentarily from the sudden rush of blood but quickly regained his balance. A sudden flash of memory had him looking past all of his friends, looking for a certain, familiar face. One with reddish-brown hair, jade eyes, and the kindest, forgiving smile he had ever seen on a woman. He was certain Aeris would be there.

Yuffie giggled. "Who're you looking for?" She was slightly concerned that their leader had lost his mind again but was more amused by the somewhat ditzy expression in his mako eyes, now even brighter with his recent dip into the Life stream.

"Aeris…" he murmured absentmindedly. "She was here." He moved past them, scanning the faces present. There were many people that he didn't recognize, all looking slightly terrified and a bit withdrawn… but no flower-girl. He could feel the eyes of his friends on his back but ignored it for a moment. He had to know.

"Uh, Spike," Barret started slowly, scratching his head. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be the one to remind his friend and leader that the woman he was searching for was already gone. "Aeris is--"

"--dead, yes I know," Cloud snapped impatiently. He sighed heavily and turned around to face them, running a hand through his hair as he attempted to assuage their doubts of his sanity. "I haven't lost my mind or my memory, guys. In fact, I am more myself then ever before, and it is all thanks to her."

Five pairs of eyes blinked at him in confusion. Crimson orbs narrowed slightly in thought.

"Who?" The pilot asked finally, scratching his head as he covered Yuffie's mouth with his other hand before the ninja could say or do anything stupid and annoy them all. She was notorious for that. He was half-afraid that she would scare Cloud off, and he would have to keep the leadership.

Cloud smiled, and for once, it was an honest look that opened up his eyes. He no longer seemed as haunted as before, as if half his burdens had somehow been carried away.

"Aeris," he clarified before shaking his head. "I'm not going to say much more because it's personal. But it's enough to say, I know who I am now." Which said much for the ex-SOLDIER who had seemed to be having the identity crisis of crises since they had met him.

The pilot sighed happily then, looking significantly more joyous than he had in the past few weeks. "Well, that's a load off my shoulders," he announced, clapping a rough hand on Cloud's back and nearly sending the still somewhat wobbly man a few stumbles forward. "Glad to have ya back. They're all yours!" he exclaimed broadly, gesturing towards their friends with a big wave of his hands.

Yuffie snickered, unable to resist the urge to make fun of him as she poked the pilot in the belly. "Aw, Cid, you don't want to be our leader anymore?" she questioned, her tone teasing.

The rapid, almost violent shake to his head clearly expressed his desires. "Hell no!" Cid exclaimed. "I don't know how this fool did it! Ya'll drove me damn crazy. Takes a better man or maybe just someone crazier to handle the lot of you!" He turned on his heels and put his hands on his hips, a definite and irritated tilt to his shoulders. "I'm just going to Captain the Highwind and be done with the lot of ya."

Cloud laughed along with the others as he patted Cid on the shoulder. "Thanks, Cid," he said gently. "I know it was a tough road, but I'm glad you could pick up the slack."

The pilot flushed, flustered by the unwanted attention. "That's okay, Spike. Jes don' do it again," he spluttered, stepping away from the younger man and rubbing the back of his head. His reaction caused more laughter, which seemed to completely dispel the aura of melancholy that had infected their group. Cloud had returned, and Cid could return to his normal grouchy self without the bitchiness associated with being commander. All was well with the world.

Until the Captain's phone rang, the chipper ring tone piercing through the silence. Raising a brow, he muttered "Wha the fuck?" His face darkened as he handed the phone to Cloud. "Not my problem anymore," he explained, dropping it into the younger man's waiting hand.

Cloud shot him an amused look but answered anyways, eyes narrowing with each passing second. He clicked the phone shut after a moment and handed it back to Cid.

"Well," he announced. "Looks like ShinRa's up to no good again. Break time is over."

Cid snorted. "Some break." He was ignored.

The ex-SOLDIER shook his head. "Reeve. Yuffie. You're with me. Give the old Captain a break, ne? We've got work to do."

"What's going on?" the former executive questioned, face drawn tight with confusion as he ignored Cid's splutters.

"It's the Underwater Reactor at Junon," Cloud explained. "They're going after the Huge Materia there."

* * *

Thanks for reading! Leave a review before you go. This is gonna start coming out really quick now that I've finished it, so be ready.


	17. Underwater Race

**A/N: Somewhat shorter, but that is because a lemon has been cut from this chapter per terms and conditions. **

**Chapter 17: Underwater Race**

"Wow!!" Yuffie exclaimed, pressing her hands and nose up to the cool, thick glass of the underwater walkway leading from Junon to the underwater reactor. She smiled with glee as she took in the wonders of the deep ocean from her lucky position. It wasn't a sight she often was privy to, and despite being on mission, she decided to take it for all it was worth.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned her head to smile up at its owner. Amber eyes winked at her happily before turning to gaze out the thick glass as well.

"It is a beautiful creation despite having been built by ShinRa," Reeve murmured, squeezing her shoulder briefly in an affection gesture before allowing his hand to drop to his side.

Yuffie giggled though she kept her nose pressed to the glass. "Do you… regret working for them?" she asked slowly, displaying a surprising amount of tact.

The ex-executive sighed and turned away from the view, unconsciously tossing a throwing knife up and down with one hand. "There were times that I could do good with their money and influence, keeping my integrity as well as could. And then of course, I would never regret meeting Re-- him." A brief smile crossed his features, almost wistful before he continued. "I cannot in all honesty say I would change the way things turned out."

Over to the side, completely ignoring their conversation, Cloud was kneeling, an eyebrow raised in confusion. "I wonder what this is?" he asked, absentmindedly running his hands over a thick leather-bound book. There was a script on the cover but it was in a language that he didn't recognize.

The Wutaiian turned to look at it, before shrugging in disinterest, returning her gaze to the glass and the myriads of brightly colored fish that swam by her view. "Where did you get it?"

"You turned that creature, the Ghost Ship, into it," Reeve answered, giving her another affectionate pat on the head. "Maybe Nanaki knows something about it or it might even come in handy later."

Yuffie huffed, rolling her eyes at both men as she turned from the glass and tapped her shuriken. "If Nanaki had given me his Mystify materia like I asked, I wouldn't have been confused in the first place." She announced, before adding in a quieter mutter, "Stingy old wolf."

Reeve smiled at her youth and shook his head, gaze already sliding towards the door that would lead them into the reactor's core, where the Huge Materia was being stored. "Should we continue then?"

Cloud nodded, hefting up the sword that the crew had bought for him in Mideel, as a 'Great! You're back!' gift. "Wait until Rufus hears I'm back," he announced, unable to contain his glee at finally being back on his feet again and understanding himself. Aeris had done a lot for him... he only wished he could see her for real again.

Reeve chuckled at their leader's antics as Yuffie giggled, hefting up her shuriken menacingly. Exchanging glances, the three members of AVALANCHE headed into the ShinRa reactor.

* * *

Cid Highwind still lay in his bed, despite the late hour of the day. It was well-past the time in any normal person should be sleeping, but the exhaustion and stress from the past few weeks coupled with the warmth wrapped around him was enough to make him linger. Especially since he was comfortable among a pile of blankets and limbs, with Vincent wrapped around him, one arm even thrown possessively over his chest, giving him even more of a reason to remain. It wasn't often that he was awake and Vincent wasn't, so he took the moment for what it was, admiring the other man and simply relaxing in the peaceful quiet.

He turned his head to side and found his nose buried in a pile of spicy smelling black hair. Vincent had nuzzled his way onto his shoulder and fell asleep promptly after sex earlier in the day, as if he were even more exhausted than the pilot. He now breathed evenly, seemingly sound asleep and for once, not plagued by the nightmares that were usually so frequent, his face actually lax and peaceful, not pinched with terror.

Cid knew he had them, even if Vincent didn't say anything about it. The few times they had slept together, Cid had been woken up by restless movements or frightened murmuring. And though insanely curious to know what could cause the normally stoic gunman to have such looks of fright, he refrained from asking. Vincent could be quite bristly if he poked in the wrong direction.

The captain smiled at the brief thought, entertained by memories of crimson eyes flashing with slight irritation, and rubbed a gentle hand over the gunman's bare back. He could feel the soft, pale skin beneath his fingertips, interspersed with upraised scars and marks that he didn't even want to consider. In nameless voices they told of unspeakable tortures and horrors that made him shudder every time. Not that they bothered Cid aesthetically, just that he hated to think of what had been done to Vincent, or what the man had suffered through.

He had not expected them to reconcile, especially after Vincent's reaction the first time they had slept together. Vincent ran so quickly that Cid half expected to get whiplash. Nor had he anticipated Vincent to be the one to make the first move either. He couldn't say that he wasn't happy about it, however.

He simply enjoyed spending time with Vincent which brought to mind their most recent and purely strange conversation. It seemed uncharacteristic for the normally reticent gunman to speak generally, a conversation just for the hell of it, not that Cid minded of course. He was rather pleased to see Vincent finally opening up. He knew that the man couldn't be all gloom and doom; he just needed to find someone to trust again. And without pushing, the gunman had opened up to Cid and he felt pleased by that.

He wasn't sure how to define their relationship. They were lovers, sure enough, and it probably wouldn't be a good idea if one of them decided to randomly fuck another person but he wasn't sure if there was commitment or anything else. Vincent was decidedly skittish and Cid... he wasn't quite sure what he wanted. He knew he wanted Vincent but as for what his feelings were, what his heart said, he hadn't really thought about it.

Only, the desperate need to have the gunman beside him was beginning to get slightly worrisome.

Chewing his lip in thought, Cid turned his head away from the thick mop of black hair, blue eyes searching for the cigarettes that he remembered lying almost reverently on the dresser earlier. He spotted the small packet, and the lighter pushed into the foil and reached for them happily, careful not to disturb the sleeping man on his chest.

"You really should quit, you know," Vincent's smooth and silky voice stated softly, causing the pilot to startle. He had thought the gunman asleep, the sneaky bastard.

Cid rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath as he grabbed his vice and pushed himself to a sitting position, no longer concerned with disturbing the obviously awake pale man. Vincent rose with his movements, though he didn't remove his head from Cid's chest and the two lazily reclined against the headboard, which was a cold contrast to Cid's bare back.

There was the quiet snick of a lighter and a happy exhale before the pilot finally responded, attempting to ignore the subtle trace of fingers over his naked chest. "I'll quit when I'm damn ready to," he muttered around the cigarette, "and it's not looking like that'll be anytime soon."

Vincent shook his head, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as his finger wandered over to one flat, dusky nipple, the smooth pad tracing over the soft flesh. Cid's skin goosebumped as the nipple slowly began to harden beneath Vincent's touch, and he rolled the pebbled flesh between his fingertips, a somewhat devilish expression on his face.

Cid groaned at the distraction and sucked deeply on his cigarette, closing his eyes in satisfaction. "Ya keep doing that and we might never leave this bed," he warned, though he couldn't necessarily see where that was a bad thing.

"Is that a promise?" Vincent queried, turning his head to the side and letting warm, moist air ghost over Cid's flesh before drawing the unattended flattened nipple into his mouth, laving his tongue over the dusky flesh until it, too, hardened. His other hand continued to pinch its twin. The blond moaned again at his touch, hand holding the cigarette trembling slightly as the sheets bunched around his waist gradually began to tent.

Cid reached out with his free hand and tangled it among the thick black strands of Vincent's hair, encouraging him. Smiling to himself, the gunman nipped lightly on the nub of flesh as he allowed his hand to slip down the hard plane of the pilot's abdomen, dipping beneath the sheets for the already hardening member.

"Damn!" Cid cursed, cigarette burning away, nearly forgotten in his hold as another moan escaped his mouth. "You're a horny bastard, aren't ya?"

Vincent paused in his ministrations without realizing it, the sudden thought occurring to him that he could have explained all the reasons why. That Cid made him forget, that he made him feel... all right, for lack of a better term. That being with the pilot chased away all the guilt and the regret and every negative feeling he harbored deep inside. It washed away the taint he could still feel against his skin, the taint that he knew was there despite the fact he couldn't remember it. And even if he wanted to cling to those unhappy thoughts and his remorse for failing Lucrecia, around Cid he simply couldn't and that frightened him beyond belief.

He could have told Cid just how different he was around the pilot or that he was starting to change, in some little way and he didn't understand that either. Or that with Cid he felt he was worth something, even with an infested body of demons. That Cid made him feel needed and wanted. He could have said a lot of things that he probably would have regretted since it would bring out every last one of his vulnerabilities and despite the trust he had granted the pilot, he didn't think he could take that step.

Nor could he completely walk away from Lucrecia or what he knew he once felt for her. Something inside kept holding him back. His own loathing for his inadequacies. His self-revile. It all withheld that most important part of him from perhaps the only person that could help to heal him. He wasn't ready for all his walls to come down, but damn if Cid didn't keep knocking without even having to try. It simply came down to the truth, that if he really wanted to keep his distance, he would sneak from the bed in the middle of the night like some mistress than actually stay every time.

He wanted to walk away, but like someone starving for attention and maybe even a bit of abuse, Vincent kept returning. No matter what he told himself, he couldn't find it in him to leave anymore. He _wanted_ and it was simply that and he didn't know what to do with it, the need and the desire to be free.

He could have said so many things, but instead of blurting out his heart, he kept it simple, _easy_, something he couldn't regret but was still the truth. Because all in all, he still was not ready to divulge that part of him. He was still afraid and like a coward, he ran away.

His hand, which had briefly stilled, picked up the steady rhythm once more. "Only for you…" Vincent murmured against Cid's chest, knowing that it was the truth. The pilot was the only one allowed to see any side of him other than the silence. "Only for you."

* * *

"They've already harvested the materia," Yuffie commented glumly as she slashed at another ShinRa soldier, easily dispensing with the grunt. A splash of blood soared through the air but she hardly paid it any attention as he tumbled to the ground.. Her eyes were locked on the visible mechanical arm in the distance, transporting the huge materia.

Cloud growled, tightening his grip on his sword as he watched the mechanical arm move the materia from the reactor into a waiting submarine. He dimly heard the sounds of booted feet across the floor, more minor soldiers who did nothing more than delay them because they were ineffective in halting their progress completely.

Reeve tossed several knives at a control panel before they could enter; however, cutting off the power. It sputtered and hissed, sending sparks flying into the air, but did its duty, closing and locking the automated door.

"We can still retrieve it," the ex-executive huffed. "If we can stop the submarine..." he trailed off, his meaning quite clear as he pushed past them, stepping over fallen soldiers and heading for the opposite end of the platform.

Cloud and Yuffie exchanged glances before following after the ex-ShinRa. They tore through the doors and into the submarine dock, weapons held at the ready in case more enemies thought to stop them. However, they ended up nearly crashing into Reeve who had stopped in his tracks, seemingly unable to move. He stood rigidly, his eyes locked on the path in front of him.

"Did we make it?" the blond asked as he nimbly side stepped, wondering what in the hell had bothered the ex-executive enough to make him halt in place.

"What are you doing?" A voice came from the walkway in front of them. Cloud shifted his gaze towards a man whose back was to them, dressed in a dark blue suit with a scarlet-haired ponytail that he hadn't even noticed. "Help load," continued the nameless man as he turned to face them.

It was Reno.

"Cloud!... Reeve?" the Turk exclaimed, nearly stepping backwards in shock. Yuffie had been completely ignored.

Cloud, however, wasted no time. He narrowed his eyes. "Give us the huge materia, Reno," the ex-SOLDIER growled as he leveled his sword menacingly.

Reno tapped his Electro Rod against his shoulder and glared at them. "ShinRa is trying to save the world, you spiky-haired freak!" His mako eyes narrowed, but flicked to the third man for an instant before moving back. "I thought Sephiroth killed your punk ass!" He stated, his voice strangely calm.

The blond gritted his teeth in anger. "You have no idea what the hell you're doing!!" he growled. "I will take it by force if I have to."

"There is knowledge in that materia that we can't afford to lose. Perhaps even a better way to destroy Meteor," Reeve interjected softly, face incredibly pale as if he had seen a ghost. Yuffie glanced at him strangely, before furtively looking to Reno as well. Something was definitely up. "You are making a mistake."

A strange expression crossed the Turk's face, but it was gone in an instant. He rolled his eyes, regaining his composure. "Being as none of us speak Ancient, we're workin' with what we got."

"You don't have to do this," the ex-executive continued in a voice that bordered on pleading. His companions looked to their friend in confusion, Cloud's eyebrows rising nearly to his hairline. "We don't have to fight if it is for the sake of everyone. Can't you see that?"

Aquamarine eyes seemed to soften for just a moment from their hardened look before he shook his head and took several steps back. "No," he said simply before continuing, "Unfortunately, I don't have time to deal with you. My priority is the Huge Materia!" He signaled with his hand moments before a huge metal creature moved in front of him, snapping its steel claws dangerously at the friends. The Turk smirked.

"However, Carry Armor will be more than happy to entertain you." He waved dismissively at them before dashing away, casting a glance back towards the friends that only Reeve caught, but the ninja discreetly noticed.

"Damn!" Cloud cursed, fingers tightening around the Crystal Sword as he took an unconscious step backwards from the massive creature that towered over him. "Looks like we are going to have to fight!" he growled as a clamped hand reached out for him.

* * *

"It was just a distraction…" Reeve murmured more to himself than the others as Cloud kicked the mangled heap of metal that was once their enemy in disgust. "They never meant to kill us. That creature was far too weak." He sighed, shaking his head. "It worked; however, the submarine is gone."

Yuffie gave him a strange look, but a metallic gleam caught her eye. "There's another!" she exclaimed, pointing to the submarine platform. Indeed a second one, greyish blue in color, was still docked, though it swarmed with ShinRa soldiers.

"We're taking it by force if we have to," Cloud announced grimly, giving one last violent kick to the annoying piece of rubbish at his feet. The others nodded, quickly following his example.

They forced their way onto the sub, easily dispatching with the weak outer guard. Once inside, they crawled through the tight cramped spaces to get to the control room for the sub. They did not have much time to catch up to the leader submarine with the Huge materia.

After dispatching the obviously frightened captain and his two subordinates within, Cloud took a seat at one of the control panels and gazed at the myriad knobs and buttons with a look of complete and utter incomprehension. He didn't even know where to begin.

"Dammit! I should have brought Cid!" he cursed aloud, angrily banging his fist on the control panel. It beeped at him furiously before the submarine gave a sudden shake.

"Don't worry! I can do this!" Reeve smiled, sliding into the empty seat next to him. The blond and the ninja gaped at the ex-executive as he smoothly flipped switches and proceeded to move the submarine slowly out of the dock.

Brown eyes widened in shock. "H... how?" she stuttered, unable to formulate a complete sentence.

Reeve shrugged, his amber eyes sparkling with mischief. "You guys are slow! It took forever for you to get to Gold Saucer. I occupied my time in Wonder Square and finally learned to beat that damn submarine game."

Cloud continued to gape even as the submarine began to sink into the water and headed for the small tunnel that connected the underwater dock with the open ocean.

* * *

Panting, slightly overwhelmed by the intense orgasm, Vincent kissed Cid's collarbone, before resting his head on the pilot's chest. He could feel Cid's heaving breaths beneath him but couldn't find it in him to pull away for the moment. He was simply too tired.

They stayed like that for several minutes, allowing their heart rates to even out and their breathing to return to normal. It was nice, a somewhat peaceful moment as each tried to work out the confusing feelings that were suddenly bombarding them.

Vincent was the first to stir, his legs beginning to go numb. Cid took the hint and carefully climbed off of him as the gunman slid to the edge of the bed, an odd strange gleam in his eyes. He couldn't quite explain it; he just had the feeling that something had changed. He idly touched the wetness on his chest and stomach.

"I need a shower," he murmured, more to himself than Cid, still distracted by all the thoughts running through his mind.

Cid nodded, stretching across the bed to reach for his cigarettes. He, too, had noticed a strange change or shift, but was unwilling to comment on it. That had gone far beyond simple fucking even if words hadn't been spoken, or tears shed. He didn't comment, however, when Vincent rose from the bed and gracefully headed to Cid's private bathroom, though the pilot couldn't resist watching him go, eyes glued to a pale backside.

He took a deep drag of his cigarette as he mused, idly noticing the sound of the shower starting. The change in position, the almost desperate way that Vincent had clung to him, it was very strange. As if, in some silent way he was being shown that Vincent needed him. And as much as he might have wanted to, judging by the odd new beat inside of him, he didn't know what Vincent truly wanted and he was half-afraid of putting more into something that hadn't yet been defined. It wouldn't do for him to get attached too early and set himself up for heartbreak later on. He didn't want another Kyle.

The blond groaned as he put out his cigarette; it suddenly tasting like ash in his mouth at the return of wanted memories of amethyst eyes. Vincent might have needed him, but the man had yet to realize that the feeling was mutual, if he even knew what he wanted at all.

Cid climbed to his feet, determined to slip into the shower and see if he could surprise Vincent. There was something he wanted to ask the gunman and judging by the strange but not necessarily negative tension in the air, now was the perfect time.

However, a sudden knock at his main door disrupted his plans. Cursing to himself, he found a robe and threw it over his nakedness before stomping over to the door and pulling it out, managing to growl out a violent, "What?"

Brown eyes blinked at him. Barret. "Cloud called," the big man explained, shifting slightly in his stance. "We gotta get them at Junon and rush to Rocket Town."

Frowning, the captain started to wave his hands in dismissal. "Then go tell the actual pilot! I'm on vacation," he grumbled. What a stupid reason for bothering him--wait. He peered at Barret. "Did you say Rocket Town?"

The older man shifted uncomfortably once again, as if just noticing the other man's half-dressed state and most likely catching sight of what was a new mark on his collarbone. He nodded a little too enthusiastically. "Yeah. ShinRa's taking the Huge Materia and they're going to use the Rocket."

"No, the hell they ain't!" the Captain spluttered angrily, shouting at the dark-skinned man though he was just the messenger. "Tell that bloody pilot to use max speed and tell that spiky haired idiot that I'm coming too and he better not leave me behind!" Cid made as if to slam the door in Barret's face.

"Wait!" Barret said, beefy hand stopping the door immediately. Blue eyes narrowed as Cid impatiently waited for him to say his peace. "Have ya seen Vincent? Cloud told me to tell him to come."

"No," the blond muttered crossly. "But if I see him, I'll tell him." He finished slamming the door in Barret's face and stormed into his room, kicking at his desk angrily and instantly regretting the action when pain lanced through his foot.

"God-fucking-dammit!" he cursed loudly, rage beginning to build inside of him. ShinRa thought they could screw him over not once but twice? The nerve, the audacity, the--

"Cid?"

The pilot's head snapped up as he paused in his frantic pacing, noticing that Vincent was standing directly in front of him, a towel wrapped around his waist and looking slightly concerned, perhaps even a bit wary.

Cid shook his head. "Cloud is lookin' for ya," he muttered, beginning his frantic pacing once more.

Vincent furrowed his brow. "They are back already? And why me?"

The pilot shrugged, a quick and almost violent emotion. "They're now," he spat. "ShinRa's got the last Huge Materia and they're headin' for Rocket Town."

"Why on Gaia would they be going there?"

"Why the fuck else?" Cid yelled, nearly tearing out his hair in frustration. "Dammit! Fucking ShinRa doing everything they can to destroy my dreams and now they want to take my last chance at the stars?" He growled out of pure aggravation. He had placed his every hope in that rocket. Everything he had left home for and struggled for was in his sweat and blood, poured over that one simple machine.

Vincent frowned again. That still didn't explain why Cloud wanted to take Vincent and not Cid. He mused inwardly as he searched the room for his clothes, for the moment ignoring the other's frantic pacing. Last night they had been haphazardly thrown in various directions in their hurry to get undressed and into bed.

"Why didn't Cloud tell you to come then?" He threw on his clothes, slowed down only by the many buckles of his cloak and belts.

The pilot threw up his hands. "Hell if I should know! But if he fuckin' thinks I'm staying behind here, he's dead fuckin' wrong!!" He suddenly whirled on his heels and started heading for the bathroom, grabbing up clothes along his way.

Vincent moved so quickly he was surprised that he had even shifted positions himself. He intercepted Cid on his way to the bathroom and grabbed the angry pilot by the shoulders, kissing him deeply. Vincent didn't know why he chose to do so; it was just that a strange urging had struck him all at once. And Cid seemed to relax only slightly under his touch though the tenseness in his shoulders did not ease.

"I'm going to go meet with Cloud and see if I can stall him." With those words, Vincent walked away from Cid and headed for the door, peering out furtively before opening it and disappearing.

The pilot still stood stunned where the dark-haired man had left him a few minutes later, wondering what the hell had happened before reason returned. He rushed around once more, hurriedly trying to redress not even knowing that the gunman was wondering the same damn thing as he moved swiftly down the hall.

* * *


	18. Reach for the Sky

**Chapter 18: Reach for the Sky**

"Cloud! You fucking asshole!" Cid's brash declaration could be heard clear across the open courtyard of Rocket Town. Sighing heavily, Cloud, accompanied by Vincent and Nanaki, turned to face the fuming pilot. His eyebrow twitched; he was certain of it. It seemed ordering Cid not to come had had no effect, just like he thought it would.

Cid snarled, looking very much like a rampaging train as he stalked their way. "I told your little message boy that I was comin'! I'm not letting ShinRa get my rocket whether you like it or not!" he demanded, storming up to the group, boots nearly digging angry furrows into the ground. He was gripping his Scimitar tightly in his hand as he puffed furiously on a cigarette.

"Get lost, wolfie," the pilot ordered, jerking his head towards Nanaki.

Nanaki frowned and narrowed his eyes. He turned to look at Cloud, silently asking their leader what his decision was. The blond nodded, and Nanaki shrugged, walking past Cid without a word. He would let the comment slide for now, understanding the blond's anger, but the pilot would get his just due later. Cid's eyebrow twitched mercilessly as the lion wolf walked past and headed towards the airship.

The ex-SOLDIER sighed, unhappy about the irascible older man accompanying them. Cid simply could not be objective when it came to the ShinRa No. 26. "Our first priority is the Huge Materia," he warned, looking the other blond in the eye. "Anything else is too much trouble we don't need."

"Tch!" the pilot muttered, plucking the cigarette from his mouth and throwing it to the ground, crushing the tiny flame beneath his heavy boots. He hefted up the Scimitar, balancing it across the back of his shoulders. His eyes seemed to gleam with the need to kick some ass.

"Quit yer stallin' then! ShinRa ain't gonna wait on yer sorry ass!" he demanded impatiently. He stormed past Vincent, sparing him not a glance and pushed past Cloud, nearly knocking shoulders with the spiky-headed leader as his boots stomped across the ground.

Vincent and Cloud exchanged glances before following after the determined pilot. The leader watched Cid grimly as they pushed through the stand of trees to the still leaning rocket. This was the entire reason that he had ignored the Captain's desire to come. The pilot could be volatile when he was angry, and like the Tiny Bronco, the ShinRa No 26 was his baby.

The two friends cleared the trees, finally having caught up to the furious Cid. They caught their first glimpse of the rocket. Other than a few lights blinking on and off when they had not been previously lit before, the rocket seemed just fine. However, it was obvious that something had been activated. There was a subtle thrumming to the ground and an air of excitement to the town itself.

"Those terrorists are here!!" a ShinRa soldier shouted, suddenly noticing their arrival. Three of the lesser grunts rushed the group, intent on stopping them.

Vincent drew his Winchester and shot one of the soldiers before he got anywhere close to them. He quickly re-aimed to take out another but Cid moved in his way, interrupting the shot. Scowling, Vincent dropped his arm to the side as Cid leapt in front of them, growling angrily. He swung his Scimitar in a wide arc, catching both of them in the chest. The soldiers dropped like sacks of potatoes from the pilot's powerful blow, stars nearly dancing in their eyes. It appeared nothing was going to stop him.

Spitting in disgust, the pilot ran past them and headed for the stairs. Cloud shook his head and hurried to catch up with the madly attacking pilot. The ex-Turk watched with interest as he made his way to the stairs at a much more sedate pace, pausing to make sure that the soldiers were indeed out of commission. It was clear that the two blonds could handle it without him for the time being.

"Don't let them get any further! Everyone, ATTACK---!" screamed the commander of a group of four soldiers. He stood at the first landing, guarding the second set of stairs.

Cid plowed into them, casting a fire on one of the soldiers as he brought his lance crashing down on the helmet of another, effectively knocking the soldier out. The smell of burnt cotton and flesh filled the other, ash rising into the sky from the powerful spell.

"Urrgh," the commander in red growled, not at all worried by the quick take down of his first two men. "You're not going anywhere! Uh, un… nowhere!" He drew his gun and aimed to fire at the Captain who seemed none too concerned with the weapon.

Cloud appeared and tackled the commander, casting Stop at the same moment and effectively canceling the attack. A quick fist to the face had the commander out for good. "Cid! Have you lost your damn mind?" Cloud demanded, turning widening eyes towards the pilot. But he was promptly ignored.

The sound of a Winchester broke through the battle and the fourth soldier was taken care of. Vincent finished climbing the stairs and stood with his companions, the bodies of the unconscious ShinRa soldiers strewn about them. Crimson eyes stared impassively at their fallen forms, slightly impressed that Cid could be so destructive. He made a mental note to never upset the pilot. Ever.

"Goddammit, what the hell do they think they're gonna do to my fuckin' rocket!?" Cid growled in frustration, wiping sweat from his brow. He kicked furiously at one of the fallen soldiers, receiving a pained grunt in response. "I'm gonna kick their sorry ShinRa asses right out of it!" he cursed, already heading for the other ladder despite Cloud's attempts to hold him back.

"Dammit Cid, this isn't about you!!" Cloud shouted, hurrying to catch up to the rapidly climbing pilot. He grabbed onto the bottom rung and started pulling himself up, wondering if there would be anyone left alive in ShinRa by the time Cid was through. Not that it really mattered. He idly noticed Vincent following close behind him and speculated if the two men really were lovers.

Ahead of them, Cid growled, the distaste in his voice plainly audible. "What the hell you doin' here?" he demanded to someone they were unable to see. Curiosity abounded. "I thought I told your Turk ass to never come back here!!"

Cloud was the first to reach the platform, popping his spiky head over the top and laying eyes on what caused such a reaction in the older blond. Cid was squaring off against Rude and another contingent of minor soldiers, only two this time. Sky blue eyes were narrowed and Cid's grip on his spear seemed death-like.

Rude harrumphed, balling his hands up into fists. "I do not fear Cid Highwind. I go where I please," he countered, speaking for what was the perhaps the first time in Cloud's experience. The ex-SOLDIER's eyes widened in surprise as he scrambled the rest of the way onto the platform, half-noting that Vincent was right on his heels and much calmer about the entire escapade.

"Fuckin' bald-headed bastard! I'm going to kick your ass outta this town, and you better not come back again!" Cid continued, unabated as his face flushed with the fierce scarlet of anger.

Rude snorted, idly adjusting his sunglasses. "I will eliminate everyone who gets in ShinRa's way, including you, Cid Highwind." He didn't seem the slightest bit perturbed as Cloud and Vincent finally caught up, flanking the volatile pilot on either side. Though the soldiers to either side of the Turk began to shake in their boots, he stood his ground.

Cid smirked. "You wouldn't dare. If I die, you might as well kiss your chances with her goodbye!!" He snarled viciously, giving no warning as he leapt at the taller man, spear glistening in the sun. Clearly, he held some grudge with the bald Turk though both Cloud and Vincent were equally baffled.

Rude hurried to defend himself as the Captain slashed at him mercilessly, backpedaling to avoid the sharp point of the Scimitar. He barely registered the sound of a gun being fired as Vincent destroyed one of his men and the crackle of electricity as Bolt 2 took care of the other. He was more concerned with his own life. If they couldn't handle it, they should not have joined ShinRa. That was the way the world worked.

He blocked Cid's spear with one hand, trying to work in his own offensive move but the pilot had a back-up attack already waiting for him.

"Too slow!" Cid exclaimed, slamming the butt end of his lance into Rude's belly, knocking the Turk to his back and stealing his breath. The platform rattled as he crashed backwards, narrowly missing slamming his head into the railing.

"Ugh…gh…" Rude groaned, desperately trying to draw breath back into his body as he struggled to regain a hold on the pain flooding his abdomen. That stick had hurt a lot more than he thought he would.

Of course, Cid couldn't resist the change to taunt his defeated enemy. "Tch! Maybe next time you'll know better than to come back, ne?" he questioned rhetorically as he glared at the Turk. Then, without another glance, he passed by the fallen man and headed for the rocket entrance, his companions on his heels. He was no longer concerned with whatever it was Cloud had in mind. The rocket was his first priority.

Unsurprisingly, there were more ShinRa waiting for him inside. A commander dressed in scarlet seemed especially shocked to see the pilot emerged as opposed to Rude. "You… you!" he exclaimed, backpedaling fiercely in terror. He was afraid of the slightly manic gleam in Cid's eyes. "Why are you here? Rude of the Turks should've been here!!"

"Too bad." The Captain smirked, thumb gesturing towards outside. "He's lying on the ground outside gasping for breath." He idly tapped the Scimitar on his shoulder, as if daring the commander to try his luck.

"Oh man…" the ShinRa groaned, face paling instantly. He shook his head, feeling as if he could actually hear his knees knocking together. "…the Turks, being done in like that… I don't have a chance."

Sky blue eyes flashed. "Then get the hell out of here!" Cid yelled, "Before I change my mind!"

"S…sir!!" the commander exclaimed with a rapid salute despite the fact that the enemy wasn't supposed to get such respect. He scrambled to get past the three friends as he escaped from the rocket. He really wasn't in the mood for a pounding today and had no qualms about running from such an enemy. Pride bedamned, he was more interested in staying alive.

The pilot frowned at the man's cowardice before steadfastly continuing towards the cockpit. He was determined to find out what the ShinRa wanted to do with his rocket, despite his excitement at what might be the No. 26's only flight. The spear slid from his shoulders as the fighting instinct slowly began to die, registering the subtle hum to the once silent rocket. His baby was running; it was really working.

Behind him, Cloud and Vincent exchanged glances, beginning to feel like excess baggage. While Vincent managed to pop off two shots and Cloud had been rescinded to back-up materia guy, they still felt pretty superfluous. Cid seemed to be just fine on his own.

But as Vincent moved to step forward, he felt an unwelcome hand on his arm, halting him place. He jerked free before whirling to face the perpetrator, scowling with his crimson eyes flashing at Cloud. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, idly brushing pretend fuzz of his cloak as if truly offended that Cloud had touched him.

The younger man was unperturbed by Vincent's anger. He jabbed a finger towards the gunman. "Can't you do something about him?" he questioned, obviously speaking about the rampaging pilot.

This time, it was Vincent's brows that went nearly to his hairline. "What are you blabbering about?" he snarled, truly surprised by the blond's insinuation and internally wondering what it was that Cloud thought he knew. "It isn't my job to do anything about him." Apparently, he and Cid weren't quite as discreet as they thought. How did everyone keep finding out such a hidden secret? Not that it bothered him, but it was reasons like this that had him wanting to keep it quiet.

"You're the leader, you figure it out," he snapped before turning on his heels and following after the captain, leaving Cloud to stew behind him. Honestly, even if he admitted to something between he and Cid, that meant nothing in terms of stopping the rampaging pilot. When it came down to it, the stubborn bastard was going to do what he wanted to, regardless of what Vincent asked, even if he was to actually attempt to do such a thing.

This was Cid's battle, not his.

When Vincent caught up the enraged blond, he was hollering at his crew in the cockpit. "Hey, what the hell're you guys doin'?" Cid demanded, brow pinched with anger as his fingers twitched in the desperate need for a cigarette.

One of the men, a burly redhead turned to look at his Captain, the look of glee on his face unmistakable and accustomed to Cid's anger, was unperturbed in the face of it. "Hey! Just when I thought somethin' was goin' on, you come back!" His announcement attracted the attention of the others.

A female with blond hair nodded enthusiastically, one fist pumping into the air. "Listen to me, Captain. We're gonna launch this rocket!" she exclaimed in an excited voice before returning her attention to some digital read-out on the panel in front of her.

Sky blues eyes blinked in miscomprehension. "Huh? What the hell're you talkin' about? Have you forgotten what ShinRa did to us before, huh?" he demanded, hand balling into a fist at his side.

An orange-haired man, truly just a kid by all accounts, shook his head fiercely. "No! But... we're going to load a Materia bomb in this and blow up Meteor!" he explained, eyes filling up with hope. "Our rocket's gonna be famous! We'll be famous!"

"Our rocket's gonna save the planet!!" the redhead cut-in animatedly as his eyes started to get that dreamy look to them, as if he were imagining himself as a knight in shining armor coming to the rescue of Princess Planet. He was oblivious to the steadily decreasing patience of their Captain.

At this announcement however, Cloud could no longer remain silent. He planted his rather short form between the four Rocket Town residents. "Wait just a damn minute," he demanded, noticing the thoughtful, almost hopeful look on Cid's face. The Captain was clearly considering it which meant he had to take back control of the situation since Vincent was clearly being no help at all.

"Shut up!! Just shut the hell up!!" Cid growled, interrupting Cloud before the ex-SOLDIER could even continue. Brusquely brushing past him, Cid returned his attentions to the crew. "How's the rocket?"

Cloud's lips thinned in anger, eyes becoming little more than narrow slits. If the damned man wouldn't listen to reason then he would have to use force, perhaps knock some sense into the idiot's head. There was no way ShinRa's plan could work. It simply did not make sense nor could they afford to lose the knowledge available in the Huge Materia. However, before he could take even one step forward in an attempt to grab the unruly pilot, Vincent stopped him with just a word.

"There's nothing you can say or do to change his mind right now," the ex-Turk intoned, crimson eyes impassive and silent. "We will have to trust he makes the right decision. We all have our own personal battles. Give him the courtesy of fighting his own."

Cloud blinked at Vincent's words, uncertain if he should listen to the gunman or not when words filtered into his confused brain, that of the continuing conversation between the pilot and his crew. Sighing, Cloud raked a hand through his blond spikes and decided to wait a few moments before strangling the irascible captain, hoping that Cid might see reason on his own.

"… into Meteor on Auto-Pilot, but the most important device is broken," the unknown crew member sighed, jerking a thumb towards an open hatch which must have lead to some internal area of the rocket. "Shera is fixing it," the brunette explained.

Cid, predictably, spluttered in disbelief. "Oh, great! What a buncha wizards you guys are! She's gonna take 100 years!" he exclaimed as he tapped his hand on his chin in deep thought. Something was definitely brewing behind sky blue eyes as he waved off the three residents of Rocket Town. "I'll take over, so don't worry about the Auto-Pilot! Hey, go ahead! Go tell everyone!" A note of excitement was beginning to creep into the pilot's tone and at that, Cloud didn't think he could hold back anymore. Cid was only getting more energized.

The younger blond took a step forward as the three crewmembers skirted past he and Vincent, saluting on their way out. "Hey, Cid! What are you doing?" he demanded, gesturing with both hands. "There are generations of knowledge and wisdom inside the Materia. We're gonna borrow their powers and save the planet from Sephiroth. There's no way that we can lose the Huge Materia. You understand that, right?"

There had to be some way to get through to the pilot. He looked to Vincent for help but the gunman remained quiet, eyes trained on the engineer in front of them. Cloud clenched his jaw, wondering if all he had heard that night in Icicle had been a fluke after all. There seemed to be nothing behind those crimson eyes that even suggested there was more between he and the captain.

Cid barely cast the ex-SOLDIER a cursory glance as he dropped down into the pilot's seat of the control panel, leaning his spear against the massive collection of switches and musing over them thoughtfully. He checked each monitor and stat in silence as if deliberately ignoring Cloud. Then he began to speak, quietly at first.

"Yeah, I understand," he started, explaining himself without turning around to face the others as he fiddled with the control panel in front of him. "I understand that Materia is precious, and I also understood what you're thinking. But listen. I don't give a rat's ass whether it's science or magical power. No, I guess if I had to choose, I'd rather put my money on the power of science." He paused, tilting his head upwards to look through the small window that would give him his first glimpse of the stars when they rocket launched.

"Humans, who only used to roam around on the ground, are able to fly now! And finally, we're about to go into outer space!" He continued, voice quickly gaining strength and energy, "Science is a 'power' created and developed by humans. And science just might be what saves this planet. I was able to earn my living thanks to science. So to me, there's nothing greater! Now quit your worrying 'bout what ShinRa's gonna do!"

Cid smiled then, briefly, before switching his gaze from the window and back to the panel of buttons in front of him, reaching out to calibrate some instrument. Mako eyes softened, suddenly feeling as if he were the school bully trying to keep the kid from reaching his dreams.

And the pilot's final reply, added a bit more quiet and calm didn't make it any easier. "I don't want to regret not having done something later."

Nevertheless, there was more at stake then just one man's dream. "But, Cid…" Cloud protested, words trailing off in frustration. 'Just trust him' Vincent had said. With Gaia on the verge of being destroyed by Meteor, could he afford to do just that? Place the fate of the planet in Cid's hands?

"Shut the hell up!! I don't wanna hear it!!" the pilot growled, suddenly disturbing Cloud's thoughts. He waited a moment to see if Cloud wanted to try adding anything else and was satisfied when he received silence as an answer. Not even Vincent had bothered to try and convince him. At least someone had understood. He turned away from the contrary younger male and stared back at the controls, unable to help the small flutter of excitement in his belly.

He reached forward and flipped a switch, activating the intercom that would broadcast over the entire rocket. He wasn't taking any chances this time. "Alright, time to get to work! Anyone who ain't involved, get the hell outta here!" he ordered gruffly before giving it a firm flick off.

No sooner had the words exited his mouth then the rocket started to tremble violently, nearly throwing his standing companions to the floor. Cid's eyes widened as a mechanical yet feminine voice began a monotonous countdown without him having to touch a thing.

"What the $?" the Captain demanded, eyes flicking from one monitor to the other. He hadn't touched a damn thing. "What the hell happened?"

In front of him, the radio suddenly crackled to life with an annoying screech of feedback and static. Then a recognizable voice filtered through, instantly causing all three men in the cockpit to grit their teeth. "Hey-Hey!"

Cloud and Vincent exchanged glances. "I thought he was dead," the blond muttered, furrowing his brow.

"Palmer!" Cid exclaimed, interrupting the quiet murmur. "What the hell did'ya do!?"

"They said they finished repairing the auto-pilot. So I laun---ched it!!" A decidedly un-masculine and pig-like sounding giggle erupted through the speakers and without their permission, the image of a dancing Palmer filtered through the imagination of the three men, causing them to simultaneously fight down the urge to vomit.

Cid cursed for more reasons than one, balled up fist striking the control panel with both a need to vent his anger and perhaps strike some sense into the damn locked-up machine. "Goddamn Shera!" he snarled, though he honestly didn't think he could blame her this time. "Why'd she pick today to get fast! DAMN! Won't even budge! It's completely locked up!"

Palmer snickered, sounding not the least bit apologetic. "Hey-hey-hey! Almost lift off!" he chortled, snorting through the static on the out-speaker. Cloud had the sudden urge to stab the output with his sword but didn't think that was a wise idea considering they were about to go flying straight up into the sky and he quite liked living for the moment.

"What the? No Countdown? It just don't seem the--" The captain was cut off before he could even finish and it was then that Cloud and Vincent finally saw reason, dashing to the nearest chair and hurriedly figuring out the strange contraption of straps and buckles that would hopefully save their pitiful lives. If the rocket launched anywhere similar to the way that Cid drove, they were in for a rough takeoff.

Palmer chortled louder again, the clapping of his hands audible through the speakers. "Hey-Hey!!! Blast--- off!!" he sang.

Cid cursed, Cloud winced and Vincent was stoic as the rocket's main thrusters ignited in a brilliant blaze of explosive orange-white flame, pushing the ShinRa No. 26 directly into the air with all the subtlety of dynamite. The three men were pushed back into their seats from the initial thrust, clutching tightly to the arms of their seats and staring with wide eyes at the large front window.

The rocket shuddered and roared around them as open blue sky quickly became white clouds, then a sudden endless sea of black dotted with white sparkles.

"Do you think they are going to be all right?" Yuffie asked, her nose pressed to the glass of the viewing window in the cockpit of the airship. She watched from the currently circling Highwind as the ShinRa No. 26 shot through the sky. None of them had expected that the rocket would actually launch and it only made sense that she was slightly concerned.

Considering her abhorrence to riding in an airship, Yuffie was significantly glad that it wasn't she on the rocket at that very moment.

Barret snorted, waving one meaty hand of dismissal before crossing both over his broad chest, staring out at the rapidly disappearing rocket. "Afta all that we've been through and yer worried 'bout a lil trip like that?" he questioned with a heavy laugh on the end of his words. Clearly, he thought the ninja over concerned.

Nanaki frowned as best as one with a canine muzzle could and shook his head before padding over to Yuffie's side, nuzzling her hand with his nose. "They will be fine," he assured her as he gently licked her fingers. She seemed to take comfort in his words and gave him a slight smile, running her fingers briefly over the soft fur on the top of his head before she turned her attentions back towards the window.

They might have been an eclectic and strange group that rarely if ever completely agreed on anything and more often than not they didn't really get along or even like each other, but they were still somewhat like a family... if she squinted. Trying to save the world from total and complete annihilation was a bond that really couldn't be duplicated and though she would probably never say it aloud, she was rather fond of everyone in their group, even grumpy Cid and tactless Barret... on a good day, anyways. And Yuffie, the perceptive ninja that she was, had a feeling that it was the same for everyone, even if they didn't voice it. Otherwise no one would have cared when Cloud disappeared.

Her thoughts abruptly derailed when one of the crewmen, whose name she hadn't bothered to learn, suddenly jolted upright in his chair, flickering widened eyes in their direction. "Sir!" he yelled, loud voice disturbing the quiet moment.

In a flash, they were at his side, easily recognizing the slightly panicked tremor to the crewman's voice.

He had been the one monitoring the radar and as they approached, he plunked back down in his seat and plopped the headphones back over his head before pointing to a strange looking blip on the screen. "I don't know what the hell that is," he began to explain in a rushed voice, tracing the rather large outline, "but it's heading this way and coming up fast!"

Barret cursed, dark brown eyes immediately darkened. "Can't be nothin' but ShinRa," he declared, face drawing into a furious frown. "They know we be separated now."

"Without Cloud and the others, they believe us to be weak," Nanaki mused aloud. "At a time like this, it is amazing that all they can think about is destroying us."

Reeve huffed and a burning anger suddenly appeared in normally calm and somewhat pacifistic amber eyes. "That's what they think, is it?" he commented aloud, voice almost thoughtful. His eyes narrowed to little more than slits. "Well, we will show them, won't we?" he asked rhetorically, then with a flick of his wrist, daggers appeared in his awaiting hands, a sudden desire to fight unlike anything he had ever felt before building up inside of him.

Yuffie's eyes sparkled in agreement, eager to be doing anything that didn't involve sitting around and waiting and worrying about Cloud and the others. She was about to pump her fist in the air in excitement when suddenly the ship gave a violent heave, rocking to the side. The emergency lights and alarms blared loudly, alerting everyone to the impending attack as the Highwind tilted dangerously, forcing those standing to fight to keep their balance on the shifting slope to the floor.

One of the crewmen, in an effort to find his seat, moved suddenly and subsequently tripped over Nanaki, causing the both of them to go sprawling to the floor. The lion-wolf grunted as he went tumbling, his necklace and Crystal Comb knocked from his head and skidding across the floor. The crewman mumbled apologies and scampered for his chair as the pilot's voice quickly filled the cockpit.

"Initiating emergency avoidance and landing procedures!"

The Highwind jerked to the side, causing its occupants to gulp and hang on for dear life. Once it was righted, Yuffie moved quickly across the floor, kneeling at Nanaki's side where he was slowly moving to his feet, wincing at the none-too-gentle grinding of his ribs together, which made him think that he may have bruised them as he grimaced slightly, favoring his side.

"Are you alright?" she asked, frowning at the clumsy younger crewman that had tripped over the lion wolf.

Nanaki nodded. "I will be fine. Just a little knee to my ribs," he assured, peering up into her stone brown eyes as Yuffie patted his abdomen softly over the bruised area. Her fingers worked through his fur as she carefully cast Heal and then subsequently Cure to ease his pain and speed the healing.

A sudden realization struck the lion wolf and golden eyes widened as he glanced around. "My comb! And grandfather's necklace…" he blurted out, worried that they had fallen through some grate and were forever lost to obscurity.

"I see 'em!" Yuffie announced before he could get too worked up, her keen ninja eyes easily spotting the items. She quickly moved to her feet, heading across the floor. It was then that the airship gave a sudden drop in altitude and she stumbled.

"Yuffie, get your damn ass in a chair girl!!" Barret roared as he and Reeve both strapped themselves into their own chairs, fumbling a bit with the mass of buckles and straps.

She rolled her eyes. "One more minute!" the little ninja demanded crossly as she hurried to pick up the Crystal Comb and the necklace. Her fingers had just closed around the two items when suddenly another missile attacked the Highwind, stronger than the others and causing it to rock violently as it exploded dangerously close to one of the propellers.

"Damn!" cursed the pilot, whose name they still did not know. "It's going to be rough. Everyone hold on to your shorts and don't piss in 'em!" he blurted, quoting Cid with an uncanny familiarity that was slightly worrisome.

The Highwind heaved violently, tossing back and forth without warning and Yuffie, usually agile and poised, teetered on her feet as a wave of nausea struck her, setting off her usual even equilibrium. She tumbled to the floor, sliding easily across the smooth expanse but luckily, with the lost items safe in her grasp.

"Yuffie!" Nanaki exclaimed, suddenly bounding across the floor. The ninja was scrambling to grab something as she slid towards the big metal cabinet that contained all the electrical tools needed on the bridge. It was a heavy compartment which had the unfortunate habit of popping open on random occasions, often just because someone happened to walk by. His heart stopped at the thought of what would happen if she crashed into it.

In a flash, the lion-wolf had cast Haste on himself and snatched the back of Yuffie's shirt between his fangs. The two of them went sliding into a rather harmless wall, the blow cushioned by a well cast Protect over the both of them.

The Highwind creaked and groaned, before with a violent shudder, it touched ground with enough force to rattle teeth in the heads of all its passengers and crew. Reeve hurriedly unbuckled himself from his seat, dashing across the floor to where Nanaki and Yuffie were lying in a crumpled heap against the wall, the shield still glowing faintly around them.

"Yuffie! Nanaki! Are you all right?" Reeve knelt next to them, his hand going to the ninja's forehead.

The ninja groaned and sat up, feeling Nanaki's warm body behind her. He had taken most of the damage to himself. "I'm fine," she groaned, one hand going briefly to her forehead as Reeve pulled back.

"I am, as well," Nanaki answered, rising to his feet and stretching out aching muscles as he disentangled his tail from where it had inexplicably and of its own accord, wrapped around Yuffie's right leg.

The Wutaiian beamed in that moment, turning promptly towards her rescuer and opening her tightly clenched palm. "Here," she announced. "I still have them."

Reeve shook his head, raising one brow in slight confusion. "All that trouble for just those?"

Yuffie pouted. "What?" she protested. "I didn't want him to lose the necklace. It's important." Her voice was indignant as a cute flush spread across her cheeks, Nanaki nuzzling her hand in thanks.

A sudden explosion from nearby shuddered the ground beneath them, causing the Highwind to tremble by proxy. It hadn't taken long for ShinRa and whatever method they were using to attack them, to catch up, it seemed. A brief glimpse out of the airship's huge front windows only confirmed their suspicions. A monstrous _something_ stood out there, both waiting and firing continuous missiles at them.

Reeve chuckled at the two younger members of his party as he unequipped a materia ball from his armlet and tossed it Barret, the gunarm wobbling a little as he struggled to catch it one-handed. "Here, put this in the materia amplifier," he suggested, brushing aside the question in his mind as to why he hadn't done it earlier. Only went to show that there was a reason Cloud was leader and he was not.

The dark-skinned man nodded, snatching the materia from the air before moving to the small panel nearly forgotten on the side and opening up the flap. He inserted the tiny green ball into the slot and pressed one hand on it, igniting the spell. The ball glowed, the panel thrummed and within seconds, a Barrier had been put up around the airship, hopefully protecting it from further attacks.

Yuffie returned the Crystal Comb to Nanaki's mane and the necklace back around his neck, feeling a slight shock as she did so. Shaking her head, she gently treaded her fingers through his fur.

"Hey," she said, frowning as she played with one of his ears. "You shocked me."

"I am sorry," Nanaki commented, his ear twitching. "However, you shocked me, as well."

"Okay, enough. I've gotta keep up this barrier. It's up to you three to take care of that beast out there!" Barret yelled, gaze flickering to the huge window as explosions resounded around the Highwind.

The three friends nodded in agreement, quickly rising to their feet and preparing to disembark the airship. Before they could leave however, Barret's bellow stopped them in their tracks.

"Reeve!" The ex-executive paused, turning back to face the gun-armed man. "Take this!" Barret dug into his pockets and pulled out a bright red materia. He tossed it to the ex-ShinRa, who caught it nimbly.

Amber eyes glanced at the materia before suddenly widening in shock, looking at Barret in complete disbelief. It was the gunarm's favorite and he was usually loath to part from it. "Fenrir(1)?" he queried. That particular summon was the wolf-god of the earth, and Barret had received it from Dyne, which explained his usual reluctance to let it go.

Barret shrugged. "He might come in handy."

Reeve smiled, a genuine smile because to him, it seemed like much more than an exchange of materia between allies before battle. "Thanks, Barret." In many ways it was like a new bond of trust was slowly beginning to build and with the hardships that were more likely to come, Reeve couldn't be happier. As if, in some small way, the hard-headed and stubborn male was slowly getting closer to forgiving the ex-executive for his mistakes.

He slipped Fenrir into his armlet, taking the place of the Barrier and turned back towards Yuffie and Nanaki who were waiting patiently at the door of the cockpit.

"Ready?" the ninja asked, an unmistakable excited gleam in her eyes.

Reeve nodded. "Let's kick some ShinRa ass."

* * *

(1) Also known as Eiko's Summon in FF9 and the name of Citan Uzuki's omnigear in Xenogears.

Thanks for reading! I do hope you leave a review before you go. And big thanks to everyone who reviewed and who has me on their alert/favorite list!


	19. There's a First Time for Everything

**Chapter Nineteen: There's a First Time for Everything**

The universe certainly was lovely above the clouds and in the wide open vastness that was space. And while Cid wasn't the type of man to go around calling things lovely, internally he couldn't help but agree that there was something infinitely beautiful about all that deep darkness decorated with stars. It had seemed unreachable for so long, and now, there it was, directly in front of him.

He couldn't help but wonder if that meant he was going to wake up from a dream sometime soon. Honestly, this all seemed too good to be true.

His eyes were wide, unable to unglue them from staring out the front window of the rocket as they soared through empty space. "I finally made it… outer space," he breathed, wondering if the clenching in his heart at something so profoundly beautiful would ever go away or if the memory would remain with him for the rest of his life.

The entire launch had taken less than five minutes. From the beginning and almost frightening seconds of lift-off, then there was the feeling like they were being flattened into their seats. That was followed by breaking free of Gaia's atmosphere and finding out how it really was beyond the clouds. They were the first humans in space, the first to ever step further than the limitations of beings born without wings. For a moment, he couldn't say anything else, too awed by the magnitude of what lay before him.

It was history in the making.

After a moment of admiration, a little thought had him returning his attention to the console in front of him. The one that nagged at the back of his mind, featuring the idea that they were probably all heading to a fiery death on the explosive end of contact with Meteor.

"Let's see… How's the course set?" he mused, mashing a few buttons to bring up several lines of data to the view screen. It did not look good. "Yup, it's headed for a collision with Meteor."

His announcement was not accepted well by the others.

"Is there nothing we can do?" Vincent asked quietly, his somber voice easily carrying. In some small way, it was a comfort to Cid to hear that his lover was indeed there with him, even if their relationship wasn't exactly defined.

The pilot snorted angrily, jabbing with little purpose at one of the unmoving switches on the control panel. "That damn pig Palmer went outta his way to lock the auto-pilot. We might not be able to change the course."

Mako blue eyes widened in shock and perhaps even a bit of fear. "This is the end?" Cloud questioned, swallowing thickly.

Would he never even get the chance to face Sephiroth one final time?

"Huh? What the hell're you sayin'? You're still young, and you give up that easily!" Cid barked, the words coming out more like a question. He chuckled loudly as he pulled himself out of the seat and stretched, bones popping in his back. "I'm not gonna crash into Meteor. Just watch. I keep an escape pod on the rocket for emergencies just like this. We can bail on outta here!" he announced, already reaching for the spear that had remarkably remained upright during their flight into space.

"What about the Huge Materia?" Vincent asked, reminding both of them of their original reason for coming to Rocket Town in the first place. He shifted in his position, standing between the two blonds as realization dawned in Cloud's eyes.

Cid shrugged noncommittally, idly running a hand through his short hair and by proxy off-setting the careful placement of his goggles. "If you want it, do whatever you want. The materia should be there after you climb the ladder." He gestured with one elbow towards a shadowy alcove, a ladder visible just beyond.

The ex-SOLDIER blinked, feeling a bit confused considering Cid's actions of earlier. Clearly, he was suffering from a case of mood swings.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

The pilot frowned, crossing his arms over his chest as he sighed. "I dunno…" He tilted his head, sky blue eyes focusing on the view from the window and the dream that he never expected to ever experience after the first failure. "I know what I said a minute ago. But maybe all that I really wanted was to go into outer space." A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he turned back to the others with a shrug. "So why don't you all do whatever you think is right."

Vincent shot Cloud a pointed look, which spoke volumes, before immediately moving towards the ladder without an audible word.

"Well, that settles it," Cloud sighed before following after the former Turk. He had one hand on the nearest rung before a thought occurred to him. "You're still a part of us, right?" he asked, tossing the words over his shoulder.

"Che," Cid grunted, boots clomping across the floor as he reached up and smacked the younger blond none-too-softly across the back of the head. "Don't say stupid things."

Cloud smirked and shook his head before climbing up the ladder, glad to hear the sounds of Cid following not too soon after. Within moments, the three were standing in the materia room, looking at a glowing tube that contained the Huge Materia. Really, for such a fuss, the materia itself was not much larger than a typical one, if not a little _misshapen. _

Cloud furrowed his brow in confusion, while Vincent remained silent, leaving it up to Cid to elaborate.

"It's structured so that the lock can be opened if we enter the passcode," the pilot explained, gesturing to a control panel at the base of the materia's prison. He idly scratched the back of his head in a habit they had all learned to recognize.

"Well, what's the code then?" Cloud asked.

The Captain and looked a bit sheepish as he folded his arms over his chest. "I don't remember."

Rolling his eyes, Vincent pushed past them. "Tch, let me try," he asserted as he looked down at the control panel. Crimson gaze eerily analyzed every button and switch, and after a moment, he reached down and pressed four buttons quickly, fingers flying over the panel like they had already known the code.

With a succession of beeps, which sounded strangely like the ShinRa military marching song, the electric system shut down. The lock clicked open. The Materia was theirs.

Cloud, meanwhile, was gaping. "Amazing!" he breathed as he turned towards the gunman in total and complete shock. "How in hell did you figure it out?"

"Ancient Wutaiian secret," the gunman muttered with a bored tone to his voice as he watched Cloud retrieve the materia. "Handed down in my family for generations."

Cid shot Vincent a really strange look before he suddenly burst out laughing. He was loud enough to startle the ex-SOLDIER into nearly dropping the Huge Materia.

"Oh, hell! Damn, Vince, you cracked a joke. That's enough FMA for you!"

Mako eyes watched this rather short exchange with an intensity that neither noticed. It was plainly obvious, even to Cloud, that there was something going on between the pair, and he couldn't help but wonder if they were actually attempting to be discreet or if they were just oblivious to their true feelings for one another. Then again, if he hadn't overheard their conversation that night in Icicle, he might not have been suspicious at all.

And when Vincent smiled, just barely, which was significantly more than Cloud had ever seen him do. He was certain of it.

Cid let loose a bark of laughter as he clapped Cloud on the back with enough force to send the younger blond stumbling forward. "Let's get the hell on outta here!" he announced, gesturing broadly to a door on the other side of the room. "The escape pod's through there. I ain't got plans to stay any longer on a ship destined to blow the fuck up."

He gave Cloud a none-too-gentle shove towards the door, urging the younger man forward. The ex-SOLDIER squawked in indignation before slipping the Huge Materia into the pack he had enough sense to bring and heading for the escape pod. Behind his back, Cid slid his gaze over to Vincent, only to find crimson eyes watching him quite intently.

"Glad to have ya back, chief," the dark-haired man murmured, keeping his tone low enough that Cloud ahead of them couldn't hear.

Cid grinned, the warm tone in Vincent's voice enough to make the whole expedition, stars included, worthwhile. Could the day get any better?

"Was never gone," he retorted gamely. "Jes took a break for a minute. After dealin' with everyone as leader, a mind's gotta break down sometime." His eyes slid to Cloud, gauging the other man's attentiveness before a slightly sly smile broke out on his face.

The gunman tilted his head in confusion as a strange look crossed Cid's expression. He opened his mouth to question his lover when a spear-calloused hand suddenly gripped the front of his cloak and jerked him forwards none-too-smoothly. Vincent stumbled, eyes widening in shock, only to feel lips fervently pressing against his own and the gentle scrape of stubble against his chin. He didn't fight the gesture. Regardless, he did briefly dart his gaze towards Cloud, who was disappearing through the door and into the short corridor, before succumbing to the surprising display of affection.

Their mouths moved together, Cid taking advantage of Vincent's faintly parted lips and sliding his tongue inside. He reveled in the unique flavor that was all Vincent. The gunman's tongue met his, dancing in a familiar path and entangling as Cid's fingers curled into the heavy fabric of Vincent's cloak. They couldn't afford to linger, but the pilot just wanted this one moment, even if he didn't wholly understand why.

This was the Cid that he knew and recognized, the spontaneous and laughing man as opposed to the furious and almost broken one that he had been before. Vincent was infinitely glad in that moment for two things: Cloud's return and this unplanned trip to the stars. Whatever he and Cid were to each other, he admitted that it was better for his conscience when Cid was happy.

The pilot ended the kiss with obvious reluctance, nibbling softly on a bottom lip before pulling away. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

Slightly confused, Vincent stared quizzically. "What was that for?"

The blond chuckled as he turned away from the ex-Turk, propping his spear up on his shoulder and heading for the hallway. "Felt like it," he answered, tossing the words over his shoulder as if they explained everything.

Vincent furrowed his brow in mystification before following after Cid.

The three members of AVALANCHE found themselves in the storage room for the oxygen tanks. It was small and cramped, but they quickly pushed their way through it, nevertheless, eager to get off of the flying death trap. None of them looked forward to the inevitable explosion, especially if they remained aboard.

Yet, as they passed Oxygen Tank #8, it gave a great shudder, the lights flashing wildly. A strange clunking and humming emanated from the tank, and Cid was the first to notice, eyes widening in shock as they fell on Vincent. The gunman happened to be the closest to the strangely acting tank, and a sick feeling of apprehension settled in the pilot's gut.

Without thinking, he dove, his palms slamming into Vincent's back. The gunman stumbled forward, nearly crashing to the floor at the same moment that the tank suddenly exploded, the force of the blast shoving all three to opposite corners of the room.

The small cabin quickly filled with thick, grey smoke.

Cid grunted as he struck the floor, breath whooshing out of him as something hard and heavy landed on his abdomen. He dimly registered the dual muttered grunts of his friends as dark spots danced on the edge of his vision.

On the other side of the room, Vincent groaned as he struggled to his feet, noting Cloud sitting up to the other side of him and rubbing a palm over his head. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear away the bright sparks in front of his eyeballs as he thoroughly cursed Cid inwardly for being so careless. He swept his gaze over the room, his heart taking a sudden plunge into his chest, and his entire body stiffened when he caught sight of the pilot, trapped underneath a rather large and heavy-looking piece of debris.

That stupid, stupid man. Vincent's body could have easily handled such an explosion and would have healed rapidly, but Cid had to go and play the hero. Now, look at him.

The Captain gasped, hands working their way loose as he ineffectually shoved at the piece of metal and wriggled about beneath it. A look of pain crossed over his features.

"Grrgh! Damn! My leg's stuck," he cursed, pounding one fist against the sheet of steel.

"You stupid…" Vincent muttered, voice trailing off.

He hurried across the floor, barely registering the sound of Cloud following close behind him. He put his hands on the debris, refusing to look at Cid as he struggled to free him. Cloud took up the other side, and the three pushed together.

The metal screeched as it scraped across the floor but did not remove itself from atop Cid, only serving to crush the blond further. He exhaled sharply, face twisting up with pain despite his attempts to hide it.

"Damn!" Cloud cursed, muscles bulging in his arm as he panted slightly. "I can't lift it!"

Even with his mako-enhanced strength, he still couldn't lift the heavy metal. Hell, he doubted even Sephiroth would have been able to. At least, the Sephiroth Cloud knew before the man's little dip in the Lifestream.

Vincent shook his head, crimson eyes darkening. "It's too off center. We'd need a third hand to counterbalance the weight," he realized all too quickly.

The pilot frowned, waving hands of dismissal at them. "Don't worry about me. Just go!" he ordered. "If you don't hurry, the rocket's gonna crash into Meteor!"

"Don't go all self-sacrificing, idiot!" Vincent muttered, giving another unsuccessful tug on the rough metal. As before, it refused to move, glinting harshly in the fluorescent light, mocking him for his weakness.

Cloud shook his head, adding in his two Gil's worth. "I won't go without my friends. I won't leave someone behind again!" he argued, fingers tightening around the steel sheet. "We'll just have to try again and again until it works."

"You #$&!! No time to worry about other people!"

The gunman sighed, stubbornly shaking his head as he increased the grip of his metal claw on the debris. "We're going to get you out of this," Vincent asserted, grateful for his usual calm that kept the slight tremble out of his voice. He couldn't explain it or even understand it, but the thought of Cid dying here terrified him. It just… wasn't right.

The older blond clenched his teeth and went limp in resignation. "You're stupid. You're really fuckin' stupid," he muttered, his eyes falling over to the wall, where the remnants of the tank still managed to cling. "Tank number 8, huh?" he commented, a sardonic grin pulling at his lips. "Shera… She was right. Too bad I'll never get ta tell her."

An amused chuckle suddenly echoed through the room. "Don't say that, old man," a voice commented, sounding decidedly feminine. "You're too stubborn to die like this."

All three males turned in wonder, only to find Shera entering the compartment with a smirk on her face. It was almost as if she had appeared from thin air.

"Huh? Shera?" Cid gaped, thoroughly confused. Why was she still on the rocket?

He had the sudden urge to both pinch himself and rub his eyes. Surely, he was hallucinating.

She grinned again as she stepped up to his side, looking down at his trapped form. "I tagged along. I'm coming to help you."

"You stupid #&!" Cid started, cursing heavily, but he stopped suddenly, thinking about what he was saying. In a much softer voice, the blond added, "Sorry."

The brunette shook her head at him, clearly dismissing what was pretty much a habitual response. She took a place at one end of the metal sheet, laying her hands on the debris.

Cloud gave her a skeptical look, eyeing her rather diminutive form and figure. "Are you sure, Shera?" he asked, raising one brow.

Cid laughed hoarsely, though it was beginning to sound strained. "Looks can be deceiving, Cloud. That girl's strong as an ox."

Shera grinned, and for a moment, both Vincent and Cloud could see the strength in her eyes that enabled her to endure the Captain's rants and come out on top. It sent a minor shiver down their backs. Cloud was forced to shake his head violently to disperse the vaguely frightening thoughts as he exchanged brief glances with Vincent and Shera.

"Ready?" he asked.

As they nodded, he quickly began the count, recognizing that the rocket could explode at any moment. Cid hadn't been sure how long it would take before it reached Meteor.

"One… two… three!"

On the last count, they all gave a great heave. With a screech and groan, the metal slid off of the pilot and clattered to the ground. Cid sighed with relief, rising to a semi-sitting position as he rubbed at his injured leg. He winced when his fingers pressed too deeply into a rapidly forming bruise.

Mako eyes widened as Shera smirked with smug satisfaction. "How in the hell are you so strong?" Cloud demanded, raking a hand through his spikes. After all, he was jacked up on mako, and she looked like she hadn't touched a set of weights in her life.

The woman tapped her bicep with one finger before pushing her glasses up on her nose. "It's a secret," she replied primly, smiling as Cloud scowled. She had to fight the urge to laugh at his expression. After all, how was he supposed to know that she spent most days lugging around machinery.

Meanwhile, Vincent had moved to Cid's side, a Cure 2 already prepared. He cast the magic, watching it gently erase the pain with a sparkle of green mist. When Cid grinned up at him as he was pulled him to his feet, Vincent found himself momentarily caught by his bright blue gaze. He froze, not even realizing that he was still clinging to the blond's arm.

Shera's voice disturbed him from his thoughts, and he rapidly dropped his grip, hastily turning away from the pilot as a warm feeling washed through his body.

"Come on," the brunette urged, beckoning for them to follow as she padded across the floor and to another doorway. "I can take you to the escape pods."

As the others filed after her, Cid watched Vincent's slightly distracted step with a thoughtful expression on his face. Inwardly, he was grinning. Slowly but surely, it seemed he was wearing the man down.

The moment he touched ground, he planned to have a celebratory smoke.

He followed the others down the hallway to the escape pod. Shera ushered them inside as she pressed several buttons on a control panel, her fingers flying rapidly over the keys and emitting several loud beeps. Inside, Cloud and Cid were on opposite sides of the pod, and the gunman had his gun in his hand, reloading bullets into it with startling precision, as if he were trying to distract himself from the inevitable. For a moment, Cid hesitated before saying to fuck with it and plopping himself on the other side of Vincent, nearest to the view portal.

Crimson eyes regarded him thoughtfully for a moment before he returned to his weapon. But Cid did catch the small smile that graced his features. It made something inside of him warm.

There was a hiss, distracting him from thoughts of the gunman, and Cid turned to find Shera entering the escape pod, sealing the door shut behind her.

"Hey, Shera!" he called out. "Does this pod really fly?" It was probably something he should have considered earlier, but in the mad dash and commotion, there hadn't really been time for rational thought.

She nodded as she seated herself in the abandoned space next to Cloud. "It'll be okay," she assured him. "I've been checking it until now." As if hearing her words, the pod gave a sudden jerk and slowly began to move into position for ejection, rattling only slightly.

Cid tilted his head, relaxing comfortably against the metal behind him. "Then I'm relieved," he replied softly, shooting her a grateful smile.

Caramel eyes brightened as Shera preened with the praise, used to hearing nothing but expletives and degrading comments from her Captain. "Thanks."

Something inside Vincent stirred at this unusual display. He watched the exchange from the corner of his eyes, wondering why it bothered him so deeply. He didn't want to believe there was more to Shera and Cid than he was aware. But the little green monster was cackling on his shoulder, as if he had something to be truly jealous of. Vincent sighed behind his cloak, uncertain what to think of this new revelation, and his thoughts turned inwards.

The brash pilot was creeping his way into a more permanent place in the gunman's life, though pitiful it may be. There was something about being with Cid that made the gunman feel like he was truly alive and not floating endlessly on a sea of guilt and betrayal.

Cid didn't ask questions; he didn't constantly nag like the others. He trusted the ex-Turk without giving reason why and even stood up for him at times when Vincent just was too tired to do so himself. His unfailing need to reach his dreams was encouraging, and underneath all the cursing and rough exterior, the man really was a kind softy, evident by the fatherly way he treated Yuffie and the way he took over leadership of the group, despite the fact he didn't want it. And he never complained aloud, hiding his pain so that the others wouldn't worry.

Cid was a man to be loved, and yet, Vincent still hinged on his choice. The pilot wanted something more from him, more than this undefined relationship they shared. And Vincent, he wasn't sure what he was ready to accept just yet. Lucrecia still weighed heavily on his heart.

Suddenly, the escape pod gave a great shudder as it shot out of the rocket with very little warning, throwing all of its passengers around. They were forced to cling to whatever was available. Cid and Vincent immediately groped for handholds, and in a state of panic, Cloud grabbed onto Shera. Apparently, he wasn't too keen on space flight.

It was several minutes before their descent evened out, and they felt it was safe to release their death-like grips. Vincent disappeared back inside his mind, while Cid turned towards the window, completely enraptured by the view. Cloud apologized to Shera for unintentionally grabbing her in an unfortunate place. She only smiled and told him it was quite all right.

There was silence in the escape pod until Cid's voice broke through the quiet. He was talking to himself mostly, but the others couldn't help but listen. His blue eyes were shining as he stared out the viewing window, taking in the wide open space in front of him. It was like he had always dreamed.

"So this is outer space," he murmured, face practically plastered to the window. "Man… it's the real thing. I'm really here in outer space." His gaze shifted to the parting view of his rocket, and he sighed. "So long… ShinRa No. 26."

They watched as the rocket managed a slightly regal flight towards Meteor, only to crash into it with a blinding display of flame and explosions. They were forced to shield their eyes, lest they be blinded, but inwardly, their hearts hoped that it was truly the end, that ShinRa had for once had the right idea.

Perhaps Meteor was now destroyed. Maybe the rocket was enough to demolish the fiery ball of doom. No one would know until the glare faded, and they could look to see.

* * *

Outside the Highwind, the sun glared with an intensity that nearly blinded them. They blinked in the brightness, almost stumbling out onto the ground as they prepared to face their opponent. Reeve was the first to unshield his eyes, and he nearly gaped when he caught sight of their opponent.

"That's--" Yuffie exclaimed from beside him, her voice trembling with anger.

Nanaki nodded, his tone solemn. "The same creature we fought before."

It was the metal monster from the City of the Ancients; he recognized it well. They had been forced to run from that beast, and now, it had been modified with wings and even greater fire power.

They couldn't help but wonder if they would survive this battle.

The creature gave them no time to recover, shifting its attention from the Highwind to them. A series of missiles shrieked through the air, heading directly for them with little pause. They were forced to scatter, dodging in all directions, and Reeve made an executive decision. They had little other choice; he would have to lead.

"Nanaki! Status?" he demanded, dodging a flailing metal appendage as he mentally reviewed his inventory of materia. His feet scraped across the ground as he belatedly realized that he would forever have stains in his suit, which was such a shame as it was his favorite.

"Yuffie! Distraction technique!"

"Got it!" the ninja chimed cheerfully.

The crackle of electricity filled the air, striking with unerring accuracy across the metal surface of the metal beast. Mere seconds later, the Crystal Cross sparkled across the sky, barely managing a dent in the seemingly impenetrable skin.

A flash of magic permeated the air.

"Scorpios Level 8," Nanaki called on, his entire body taking on the familiar golden glow of a Sense casting. "ShinRa weapons department." He paused, considering the stats that were rapidly infiltrating his mind. "Susceptible to cold, I think."

He shook his head as the yellow radiance faded. The creature had a powerful materia barrier that was blocking most of his sensing abilities.

Reeve nodded, hoping that the other male's information was accurate. "Freeze!!"

Water splashed from seemingly nowhere, gathering around Scorpios in a wash of cool liquid. It quickly hardened, forming a blue encasing. Yet, it suddenly shattered in a million directions, throwing daggers of ice onto the creature's metal skin. With any luck, they would strike true.

But it seemed their luck was null.

Nanaki belatedly noticed the faint greenish-blue shimmer of a reflect shield. "Get down!!" he yelled at the top of his voice, already flattening his lupine form to the ground.

Reeve quickly obeyed, dropping to the earth as a flurry of ice daggers returned fire at him, one nicking through the sleeve of his arm and cutting through his suit.

Yuffie hastily cast Fire 3, having no time to duck due to catching the recoil of her Crystal Cross. Most of the ice shards melted before they reached her body, but a few managed to get through. She cried out in pain as one jabbed into her shoulder and another into her left leg. The pain was sharp and bitterly cold, but the ice was not enough to pierce her skin, only leaving angry, dark blue bruises behind.

Another ruthless barrage of missiles soared through the air, giving them no time to rest. Flailing sharp arms followed in the wake of the projectiles, and it was all they could do to dodge the attacks.

The battle was not going well for the home team.

With staggering motions, the three came back together, panting from exertion and not without injury. Yuffie favored her left leg, a sharp arm had grazed Reeve's cheek, and Nanaki had caught the edge of an exploding missile, singeing half of his bright fur with a dim coating of black ash.

And still, Scorpios was preparing his next move.

"How can we beat that thing?" Yuffie asked, her voice wispy from loss of breath. There was a brief flash of green, and the wounds in her leg and shoulder were sealed, though still slightly pink. "Thanks," she added, nodding her head to Nanaki.

Missiles screamed through the air as Scorpios unleashed another attack on them, determined to see the end of their lives.

Reeve acted quickly, calling up one of his three summons to protect them. "Carbuncle[1! Tri-Power Shield!" He pressed a finger to the bright crimson glowing ball of materia.

A brilliant red-pink ball of light suddenly sparkled in the sky, moving rapidly to place itself between the heroes and their attacker. A form materialized into that of something that crossed a rabbit and a cat. The summon, known as Carbuncle, keened musically as she cast both Wall and Regen on all three of the party members and at the same time blocking the attack of Scorpios. The missiles landed harmlessly against Carbuncle's natural shield and dissipated into puffs of ashy, grey smoke.

Whining musically once more, the strange summon turned around and licked Reeve on the cheek. His eyes widened as she purred before bounding away, disappearing in a bubbly explosion of cuteness. The ex-executive just shook his head and wiped off his cheek. For such a powerful summon, Carbuncle was awfully hyper and charming, especially with her favorites.

"Carbuncle's shields won't hold out forever. We need a plan," Reeve insisted, eyeing Yuffie and Nanaki.

Both looked at a loss for ideas.

"We spend so much time dodging the attacks that we barely have time to counter," the girl huffed, trying to catch her breath.

More missiles exploded on the shield around them. It shuddered, and a ripple spread across the surface before it flexed and rapidly repelled them. Still, it would not be sustained forever. They needed to brainstorm… and quickly.

Nanaki edged closer to the ninja, noting the weary look to her face. "What can possibly defeat that thing?" he asked, eyes flickering to the metal beast.

The ex-executive wracked his brain, trying to remember some of his old training and other bits and pieces of knowledge he had picked up from his lover. "We are going to have to try some sort of combined effort," Reeve mused thoughtfully. Then, it occurred to him, as if granted by some higher power, and he quickly turned to their lupine companion. "Nanaki, you still have Earth?"

"Yes, but--"

Reeve shifted his gaze to the ninja. "And Yuffie, you still have Destruct right?"

"Umm, yeah," she answered, even though she knew she wasn't supposed to have the materia.

Ehh, Barret wouldn't miss it.

Reeve nodded, mouth forming a line of thought. "Good. I have Contain and enough energy left for a few castings of Freeze," he mused aloud, a strange, almost excited gleam to his amber eyes.

Nanaki's eyes widened with sudden understanding. "I think I understand your plan. DeBarrier and then Leviathan back to back. I will hit him repeatedly with Quake 3 until he is mired and covered with soil. Then, you will strike with Freeze as many times as it takes to stop the metal creature."

Reeve grinned, only to be distracted when four heavy, metal claws came clashing down on the shield above them. Scorpios had given up on the missiles and had come in close for a personal assault, its huge body looming over their tiny frames. The barrier shuddered and cracked but did not fall. It was only a matter of time, however. They had to act fast.

"Got it," Yuffie said, eyeing the cracking shield above them with a bit of worry. "Split in three ways. Soon as I leave this shield, I am going to fire that deBarrier and call out Levy."

No one else had a chance to respond as the shield suddenly shattered with the force of one more blow. It dissipated, blue sparkles fading away into the light. The three dove in separate directions, avoiding the Scorpios' swinging appendages with varied degrees of grace and dignity.

Out of the corner of his eye, Nanaki watched as Yuffie threw out Destruct and immediately touched her armband, calling for the Sea God's aid.

The sound of a serpent's roar filled the air. The massive blue dragon of the ocean rushed at Scorpios, knocking the metal monster down as he covered it in a wall of water that always seemed to appear from nowhere. Its cerulean scales glowed with a fierce aura in the brightness of the sun before the summon disappeared with a twinkle and a flash.

It was now Nanaki's turn.

He pulled forth all of his magic reservoir and cast Quake 3 at the monster over and over again with no respite in between. Huge blocks of earth and stone fell over the monster, coating him in layers of fresh mud. Scorpios floundered, mired in the thick and clinging earth as it struggled to regain some form of its usually quick movement. Its wings creaked under the added weight of the soil.

"Freeze!!" Reeve cast the Contain spell and directed it at the monster.

All three held their breath as the spell pulled all of the moisture out of the air and froze it around Scorpios. The monster was encased in a solid sheet of blue ice before it suddenly exploded, sending shards directly inwards.

The air was filled with dust and flying ice chips. The friends ducked to avoid the projectiles and covered their eyes from the soaring debris as bits and pieces of mud were flung into the air as well. Too slow, Reeve caught a dripping glop of the earth on his leg but was otherwise uninjured.

When they could look again, they saw the figure of Scorpios, completely frozen inside a shell of dirt and ice. A triumphant trill ran through them. Slowly, the three crept up to the creature to be sure of its defeat.

Yuffie rapped on the hardened barrier, delighting in the almost hollow sound it made.

"Yay! We did it!" she hollered triumphantly, pumping her fist into the air.

Reeve and Nanaki smiled to themselves, though both were extremely tired from the battle. It seemed Yuffie was the only one who still had energy.

"There's nothing more to do here," Reeve commented, already turning on his heels for the Highwind. "Let's go."

Crack!

The sudden and abrupt sound made them turn around in surprise. A huge fracture ran through the shell. They gaped as unexpectedly, three clawed arms shot through the hardened barrier and reached blindly for them. Yuffie was grabbed as she was closest, and Reeve was shoved backwards, the sharp metal slicing through the front of his shirt and nicking the skin of his chest. Nanaki managed to nimbly dodge them, still aided by Haste.

Scorpios flexed, and the entire shell burst apart, shards of hardened soil flying through the air. A great explosion of missiles echoed through the air aiming for Nanaki and Reeve. The ex-executive did his best to avoid them but was unsuccessful. One of them caught him in the shoulder and pushed him into the ground, detonating in a great shower of dirt and grass. Nanaki leapt and twisted in the air, wishing that there was some way he could do something as he avoided the missiles and landed safely on his feet.

He cursed his lupine body as he stood by helplessly. Out of spirit reserves for use of his materia and with no items on hand, he felt useless. He simply wasn't strong enough as he was to fight Scorpios. He needed something more!

A piercing shriek echoed through the air. Yuffie was struggling to break free of the metal abomination's grasp, not having much luck. She had dropped her shuriken in surprise, leaving her completely defenseless, the razor-sharp metal digging into her flesh.

Reeve was still struggling to rise from where he had crumpled to the ground when one of Scorpios' missiles had reached their target. Blood dripped everywhere, but Nanaki couldn't even begin to fathom where exactly the ex-executive was hurt.

His claws and fangs weren't strong enough to help. The ninja's whimpers echoed on the edge of his unconscious, making him even more desperate for some reserve of power that he didn't have left. He grasped for something, anything, that would save them, save her.

He had to protect Yuffie.

With a furious growl, Nanaki darted at Scorpios, suddenly glowing in a mysterious blue-white light. If he had been glowing red, it would seem like he had finally struck his limit break. But no, this was something more, something even stronger. Sheer energy gathered around his body, crackling with power unlike anything he had ever felt.

The lion-wolf disappeared in a glowing sphere of magic, which seemed to emanate from the necklace he wore around his neck. His growls resounded clearly across the plains, and then, an explosion rocked the earth, covering everything in a blinding white light.

Reeve shielded his eyes from the light as he coughed and sputtered from his position on the ground, wincing when blood dripped from his lips. He felt warmth across his face and opened his eyes, only to gape in shock.

Scorpios was lying on the ground, two arms ripped from its body. A four-lined slash streaked across the armor of its chest, and the ex-ShinRa could see the inner workings of the beast behind the marks.

And yet, even more startling was what had happened to Yuffie. She was out cold and in the arms of a rather tall, bronze-skinned male, who Reeve had never seen before. This man stood on the battlefield glaring down at the twitching figure of Scorpios as it struggled to get back up.

He had long reddish-orange hair in a high ponytail and eyes of such a brilliant gold that Reeve could see them from across the plains. He held Yuffie in one of his strong arms, but on the hand of the other, there was an enormous metal claw. It looked dangerously sharp [2.

The man dropped to his knee and gently laid the little ninja out on the ground, checking her for wounds. The ex-executive wondered who this stranger was as he felt his vision become a little blurry. His own injuries had become too much for him to handle. As he slipped into unconsciousness, the last thing on his mind was that the color of the man's hair was almost the exact same as Nanaki's fur.

The ex-executive had been correct, though he didn't know it. The mysterious stranger had the same hair color as Nanaki because he _was_ Nanaki. However, the former fire-wolf had no time to ponder on the sudden change in his form. Yuffie was unconscious, perhaps even dead, and Scorpios was beginning to stir.

The ground shook as the metal beast struggled to its feet, searching for the insolent creature that had caused it damage.

If only he had Phoenix!! Yet, Reeve had her, and he was all the way on the other side of the monster. Scorpios was ignoring the unconscious ex-executive, assuming him dead, and Nanaki had no chance to get over there.

Time was slipping by, and soon, he wouldn't be able to revive Yuffie at all!

"Dammit!" he cursed, punching the ground, still feeling as helpless as he did before.

The necklace around his neck sparkled.

"Suzaku, I need your help," he murmured, not even sure why that name came to him. The word seemed to pour from his lips of its own accord, rumbling deep in his chest and releasing a treble through his soul.

The ground trembled, and Nanaki rose to his feet, clenching his hands into fists. He would take down Scorpios, even if it was the last thing he did.

Scorpios launched a series of missiles at Nanaki at the same moment that every one of its arms centered down at the spot that the demi-human now guarded. However, the attacks never landed.

A brilliant orangish red and yellow light came bursting out of the sky, landing in front of Nanaki with a wave of heat. A keening birdlike cry, which still managed to sound regal, filled the air. The ball of fire, twisted and twirled, taking on the form of Phoenix. Somehow, Nanaki had summoned her without using the materia!!

The firebird spread her wings and absorbed the blast within her feathers, easily disintegrating them with her radiance. Scorpios roared, feeling no pain, and Phoenix took to the sky, flapping her magnificent wings as she flew in a wide arc around the area, small glowing orbs of greenish light falling to land on Reeve and Yuffie.

Nanaki watched in awe as Phoenix circled around for an opening. She turned her majestic head towards the recently transformed male, and a piercing green eye met nervous golden ones.

'Are you with me, Flame Child?' A lovely feminine voice resounded in a lilting tone inside Nanaki's head.

He knew without understanding why that Phoenix was speaking to him. Nanaki gulped, feeling instantly unworthy.

"Yes," he answered, his voice barely above a whisper.

She heard him, nonetheless.

Scorpios never even saw the attack coming it happened so fast. Phoenix rushed him, spitting gouts of flame at its already weakened metal body and superheating the metal to the point that it could shatter at the slightest touch. Just as she banked away, Nanaki provided the impetus. He came in seconds after the fire to slash down the entire monster's front, slicing it in two.

Scorpios gave a shudder and shattered into several pieces. Nanaki threw himself to the ground to avoid the flying debris, while the Phoenix flew to shield the others with her feathers. The smoking pieces of rubble fell to the ground, signifying the victory, while Nanaki could only blink and stare in unrestrained surprise.

He didn't even know if he could process all that had occurred in the last few minutes.

Suzaku's voice rose up in the sky, an almost musical melody of victory. 'Goodbye, Child of Fire. I am sure we will meet again,' she mentally called as she flew into the distance, vanishing before the demi-human could even respond.

Nanaki stared after her in astonishment until he heard the groans of his companions. Shaking off his shock, he rose to his feet and ran to check on Yuffie. She was stirring as he picked her up from the ground, carrying her over to where Reeve was groaning faintly.

"Who… Nanaki?" Yuffie asked, clearly confused as she looked up into golden eyes that were too human for her fuzzy mind to comprehend.

Nanaki opened his mouth to speak but was distracted when he caught an explosion out of the corner of his eye. Three pairs of eyes looked up towards the sky where Meteor appeared to have been engulfed in a blinding blaze.

* * *

[1 A summon from Final Fantasy VIII. In that game, it cast Reflect and Regen on all party members.

[2 Nanaki vaguely resembles Kouga from Inuyasha, and his weapon is similar to Amarant's from FF IX.


	20. Too Much Hope is the Opposite of Despair

**Chapter Twenty: Too Much Hope is the Opposite of Despair**

All around the world eyes turned heavenward as a brilliant explosion lit up the sky all around Meteor. Streaks of red and orange spread across the sky, like a rainbow of hope, rather than the apocalypse that it superficially resembled. People started cheering, thinking that it was all over, that their destruction was no longer imminent.

Rufus took the time to gloat over having had the right idea. As Tifa sat by his side, idly stroking an arm, he allowed himself a small laugh of pleasure. Who would be the heroes now?

Certainly not Cloud and his gang of buffoons.

Bugenhagen watched from the observatory with keen interest and hope that perhaps his grandson had succeeded, though every bit of his instinct warned him not to get too ahead of himself. His senses tingled, and a kind voice at the back of his mind warned him that there was more to everything, if he looked carefully.

Four pairs of eyes stared out the window of an escape pod, having nearly a front row seat to the event. And on the ground, far below them, three more sets of eyes stared up into the sky, watching the events unfold.

The entire world held a collective breath as the glow slowly faded, and the dust settled, revealing the results of ShinRa's genius.

Gasps were heard everywhere when the fate of Meteor was ascertained. Strangers fell to their knees in the streets, embracing other strangers. Rufus shook his fist angrily, body nearly trembling with his fury as a cold fire raged within. Bugenhagen shook his head sadly, and the friends that were separated groaned in despair.

If anything, it was worse now. The glowing ball of fire had absorbed the explosion and added its power back into itself. The outer layer of the meteor had expanded outwards, but it now circled around the fireball like deranged and deadly dancers. Truly, it seemed that the end of the world was coming, and nothing could stop it.

Shera could feel the tears prickling at the back of her eyes. "It didn't work," she said glumly, speaking the words that they already knew were true.

Cloud shook his head. "I didn't really think it would. Looks like we are going to have to find another way."

"Shattered in so many pieces, yet clinging tenaciously to the core, like a metaphor to our hopes and dreams," Vincent murmured more to himself than anyone else.

He was mostly ignored as usual. Yet, no one was more surprised than Vincent himself when Cid actually responded.

"Heh heh," he laughed quietly, though it was humorless. "Dreams, huh, Vincent?" Cid asked, his tone grim.

Crimson eyes shifted towards the pilot, disturbed by the strange note to his lover's voice. He tilted his head to the side, regarding the other man cautiously.

"Something to that effect, yes."

Sky blue eyes darkened. "Hm. What is there for me now? Having seen the stars." The pilot stared out the window, carefully concealing his face from the others. "Is it still a dream if it comes true?"

"Oh, Cid." Shera frowned. She was unused to hear that sort of melancholy tone to her Captain's voice.

Cloud's brow furrowed. "What on Gaia are you talking about?" the other blond demanded. "Isn't that the whole reason we have dreams? To work to have something come true?"

Vincent shook his head, one hand idly fitting a loosened buckle on his cloak. "A wise man once said that dreams were never meant to be reached but to give us that never attainable ideal of what life could be if we never give up," he mused thoughtfully.

"Shut up!" Cloud hissed, shooting his older companion a fierce glare. "You're not helping."

Crimson eyes merely stared in return as he shrugged. "We are fighting in a battle where even the very forces of nature are conspiring against us. What kind of hope can we have?" the ex-Turk asked.

It was purely rhetorical, but the subtle paling of Cloud's features was all the reaction he needed.

Shera stood angrily, rocking the escape pod in its continuous descent. "What is wrong with you people?" she demanded, voice sharp. "All this talk about lost hopes and dreams. So ShinRa's plan didn't work? So the hell what? You can't tell me this entire time you were relying on ShinRa to save us?"

"No," Cloud explained, his voice blunt. "We were relying on Aeris."

Just then, the escape pod violently tossed from side to side as it smacked into Gaia's atmosphere and began its reentry. Shera was nearly thrown to the floor before she quickly grabbed one of the dangling handholds. The pod hurtled through the atmosphere, falling with blinding and death-defying speed towards the ground below, spelling an almost certain doom.

"Shit!" Cloud cursed, his face incredibly ashen. "We're going to hit ground!" He clung tightly to one of the straps, hanging on for dear life.

"No, we are not," Shera retorted. She leaned over and slapped a bright red button on the wall.

The pod gave a small jerk as a parachute exploded out of the back end, snapping out and instantly slowing the pod's rapid descent. It finally began to level out, falling at a slower and calmer pace. With a gentle shudder, the pod touched ground moments later.

They let out a sigh of relief, finding that they were alive and safe.

Cloud peeled his fingers off the handhold and headed for the door on shaky legs. "Note to self," he mused aloud. "Never again get in a rocket with Cid Highwind."

He turned the latch on the door and let himself outside, falling to the ground and kissing it very happily. Never, never again!!

The remaining passengers of the escape pod also climbed out of it gratefully, though none of them going so far as to kiss the ground like their brave and illustrious leader.

"We're alive after all, eh?" Cid laughed as he watched the other blond worship the dirt, vowing to never go further than an airship could lift again.

Vincent eyed him with an air of amusement. "Did you ever doubt we would make it?" he asked, standing silently, arms crossed as he observed the antics of their leader.

Why were they following this fool around again?

"Nope," Cid said, looking at Shera. "I've got the world's best mechanic working on my rocket!" He reached over and clapped the women on the back, his fingers squeezing her shoulder companionably.

Shera smiled and shook her head. "You keep saying things like that, and I might actually believe that you are fond of me, Captain."

Cid laughed long and hard. Vincent only narrowed his eyes, wondering why the pilot didn't refute her. An uncomfortable surge of green jealousy rose up in him again, leaving him to wonder why he had any right to feel that way.

Wasn't he the one to refuse to define what they had together? Didn't that leave Cid perfectly capable of moving on if he so wished?

He wondered why the idea of that bothered him so much. He didn't even know if Cid was fully homosexual or a bit of both.

"Okay, I called the Highwind. They're on their way," Cloud said as he strolled towards them. He brushed dirt and pieces of grass from his pants but didn't look the least bit embarrassed over his behavior.

Vincent supposed that he was just far too happy to be back on solid ground.

"What are you going to do now, Shera?" Cid asked.

The brunette shrugged and pushed her glasses back up on her nose. "Go back to Rocket Town. You know, clean your house and make your damn tea."

Cid laughed again.

Cloud rubbed the back of his head. "Eh, you're welcome to come with us, I guess," he suggested. "Cid could probably use you on the Highwind."

"Oh, no," Shera protested, shaking her head. "I've had enough excitement. I'll leave the fighting to the pros, while I stay safe in Rocket Town." She appeared thoughtful. "Or maybe I'll go to Midgar."

Cid's eyes widened. He knew why she wanted to go to that blasted place.

"No!" he argued, as if he had every right to tell her what to do.

"No?" she questioned, an eyebrow raised. "Well, since you can dictate how I am going to live my life, how about you give me my trust fund, Dad?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Damn! Shera's got spunk," Cloud commented as he watched their exchange.

Vincent had nothing to add, hating how jealousy kept rising to the surface. He turned away from the exchange, unable to look at it rationally.

Cid snorted. "You know what I meant. Damn ShinRa's going to screw you over again," he admonished, glaring at her hotly.

"How about letting me decide that for myself, ne?"

The pilot huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Do what you want. But don't come crying to me when you get fucked!"

Shera sighed but did not respond since he would never understand, not since she had learned he didn't even like women. Besides, Cid was the type to enjoy her admirations and affections but not miss it until it was gone. He didn't want her, never had, but hated the fact that someone else was getting her attention.

She changed the subject then, gesturing to the huge, flaming boulder in the sky. "So what are you guys going to do about that giant fireball now?" Shera asked, turning to the leader. She plopped herself on the ground trying to get comfortable as they settled in for a wait.

The others followed suit.

Cloud sighed and shifted his head so that he could look to the sky. "She was our hope," he explained enigmatically.

"Who?" Shera tilted her head to the side.

"Aeris," Vincent answered from his position a little ways away from the group. He had opted not to sit, so he stood, staring away into the horizon beyond. "She always seemed to know exactly what was going on, even if no one else did."

"You were saying her name," Cid mused aloud before shooting a glance to their leader. "You had said Aeris when you came out of the mako coma. Why'd you do that?"

He smiled softly as he pondered the Captain's question. "She was there with me. It's hard to explain." Cloud sighed. "Everyone knew that I had some sort of identity crisis, but no one knew how deeply the thread was frayed. Falling into the Lifestream trapped me in an inner dream world, one filled with my memories both real and imagined. I never would have escaped on my own."

Cid was speechless. Some of what Cloud was saying sounded too much like philosophical nonsense. He was an engineer, damn it, not a philosopher. However, the ex-Turk responded, saving Cid the trouble of coming up with something intriguing on his own.

"She was a guide then," Vincent commented, thinking deeply. He had heard something about that before.

"No." Cloud tapped a finger against his upraised knee. "It is not what you are thinking. She's not dead, at least not in the sense that seems logical to the rest of us."

Cid threw up his hands in defeat. "Damn! Forget I asked!" Rising to his feet, he moved towards the fallen escape pod and started looking at it with a mechanic's eye, automatically lighting a cigarette. He had had enough of that talk and wanted to concentrate on something he really understood.

Machinery.

Shera had to stifle a giggle. "I'll go help him." She did not notice the intent crimson gaze that followed her movements or even the slight narrowing of said eyes.

"Explain to me what happened in the lifestream," Vincent asked. He ceased his glaring as he turned towards their leader and crouched on the ground, steadfastly ignoring the laughter and conversation behind them.

"Somehow, I knew it would be you." Cloud sighed again.

The other man frowned. "What do you mean?" He was beginning to believe that the blond had just insulted him.

"She told me something before I woke up, something that could change the course of this planet and our lives forever," the blond explained, being deliberately vague.

The sound of laughter drifted through the air, stealing Vincent's attention for a moment. His eyes darted over to the battered escape pod. Cid and Shera were laughing over some shared joke or secret as the pilot thumped a fist against the metal of the pod.

The gunman couldn't help the twinges of resentment that began to settle in his heart. Seeing Cid smiling and laughing… all happy with Shera, it made him feel strangely possessive, as if the woman was trying to take something that belonged to him. It scared Vincent, more than he cared to admit, even to himself.

"Everything hinges on a choice." Cloud's voice cut through the torrent of emotions, and Vincent forced his gaze away from the laughing couple and back towards his leader.

"A choice?" the gunman reiterated, expecting the blond to explain.

The other man nodded but didn't actually explain further. He turned away from Vincent and glanced solemnly at the two engineers, who were working diligently on the escape pod. He wasn't entirely sure what they were doing or even why, but he could see tools, metal, and screws flying everywhere.

He smiled faintly. "It's nice that they are getting along, isn't it?" Cloud commented.

The ex-Turk didn't answer, preferring to stare off into the completely opposite direction. He gritted his teeth though, trying to qualm the jealousy. There was no reason for it; the two of them didn't really have a relationship. No one had expected anything more.

"Come to think of it," Cloud continued as if he had just come to a startling revelation. "You have been rather, dare I say it, friendly as well."

Vincent snorted, able to feel mako blue eyes boring into his skull. "I think that your recent coma may have addled your brains. You're seeing things that aren't there."

"Perhaps…" the ex-SOLDIER trailed off before switching subjects. He gave a small laugh, his gaze directly on the dark-haired gunman. "Cid's not getting any younger; maybe now, he'll see what Shera's been offering."

Vincent abruptly stood, interrupting whatever else Cloud would say. "You have quickly bored me, Strife," he claimed, beginning to feel a desire to be alone. He moved away from all of his companions, not seeing the knowing smirk on Cloud's face.

Regardless, he didn't get very far when a familiar sound was easily distinguished.

The noise of whirring blades and the rustling of the grasses drew the friends' attention to the sky, and the Highwind flew into view. It landed gently close by and lowered the loading ramp.

Cloud cheered very un-leader-like and started heading towards the airship, the others close behind him. As they walked, three figures came out to aid them. They had seen the crash and thought someone might have been hurt.

"Reeve, Yuffie, and uh… you are?" Cloud asked in confusion as he spotted the redhead who accompanied them.

Yuffie giggled. "Guess."

Cid sighed, pointing a finger at the Wutaiian. "Lookee here, Miss Ninja. We ain't playing no games!"

Vincent took a more subtle approach, peering at the teenager and taking in the familiar color of his hair and eyes. He noticed the claw-like weapon and the small fiery tail that proudly jutted from the male's behind.

"Nanaki?" he suggested aloud, his intelligence quickly coming to a conclusion.

The demi-human grinned wolfishly. "One and the same."

Three jaws dropped as they stared at their transformed friend. "H--how?" asked Cloud, unable to form a coherent sentence.

Reeve shrugged. "We don't know. It happened when we were fighting Scorpios."

The pilot blinked. "Fighting what?"

"Scorpios," Nanaki repeated, waving one hand vaguely towards the south, where the battle had taken place. "While you three were off visiting the stars, ShinRa made a surprise attack and tried to take out the Highwind with us aboard."

"Fuck!" Cid paled as he ran towards the ship to inspect it for damage. He ran his hands over the smooth metal hull, as if by touching that one section he could ascertain its well being. "She had better be alright, or by gods, Midgar's getting' blown up tonight!!"

Cloud shook his head at the Captain's antics and quickly made his way up the loading ramp into the airship. "There weren't any injuries, I hope," he replied, looking at them, searching their faces before a sudden thought occurred to him. "Where is Barret?"

"He is fine, simply tired from powering the Materia Amplifier. He kept up a Barrier around the airship during the entire battle," Reeve answered with a faint grin. The animosity between the two of them was gradually beginning to fade, though it still remained in subtle lines of tension. "He is resting in his room."

"Then who was front guard?" the ex-Turk asked, furrowing his brow.

What he meant was… who was leader during the battle. If Cid, Vincent, nor Cloud were present and if Barret was aboard the ship, it left little for possibilities. Certainly, they didn't listen to Yuffie. Did they?

Reeve looked a tad embarrassed. "Actually, uh… I did."

Everyone turned to gaze at him as he rubbed the back of his head, soothing down ruffled hair.

"But I can't say that I know what happened." He shrugged self-consciously. "The damn machine didn't stop after our Triple-Stone plan, and he kind of knocked me out."

"Me, too!" Yuffie chimed in. "Scorpios grabbed me up and squeezed!" She mimicked the creature's actions with her hands, nudging the redheaded male beside her with one elbow.

As Cloud climbed up the slanted ramp, the others fell into step behind him, Cid the last to follow. He continued his conversation, easily taking back the role of leader and assessing the situation that had occurred in his absence.

"Who defeated it then?"

Reeve and Yuffie turned to Nanaki, whose cheeks flamed with embarrassment. "I did," he managed to answer with a faint hint of pride.

"By yourself?" Cid asked from the back of the line. His voice was both shocked and incredulous.

The demi-human shook his head. "No," Nanaki corrected solemnly. "Phoenix… or should I say, Suzaku, helped me."

Vincent frowned thoughtfully. "Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Cid give Phoenix to Reeve when he acquired her?"

"Yeah!" the ninja exclaimed excitedly. "He summoned her without the materia! Reeve never unjunctioned Phoenix!!" She happily nudged Nanaki with her palm.

Nanaki's cheeks flushed an even deeper red, turning near the same color as his ponytail.

"Interesting," Vincent commented, turning to gaze at the lion-wolf turned demi-human. "First you turn human." He paused and eyed the tail, promptly altering his statement. "Well, mostly, and then, you accomplish a highly skilled and high level summon without the use of materia?"

Nanaki nodded but didn't speak aloud. The ninja patted him lightly on the shoulder, trying to ease his embarrassment.

Vincent sighed. "What are you?" he asked, speaking for everyone.

"I don't know." The demi-human shook his head, silver earrings clinking one against the other, the beads and feathers in his hair smacking together.

The gunman looked him in the eye, searching for truth. He moved away from the group, heading towards the living quarters.

"Join the club," was his quiet and muttered response. "We meet on Tuesdays."

Yuffie stared after the former Turk in surprise, even after the others had already gone on. "D--did he just crack a joke?" she questioned, mouth agape.

Cloud grinned as he passed her and clamped a hand on her shoulder. "You shoulda heard the one on the escape pod," he explained with a wink. He patted her shoulder and headed on inside.

Brown eyes opened impossibly wide as she began to flail her arms in a very comical fashion. "What the hell is going on around here? Nanaki's a human! Vincent has made a joke! You guys got to go to space, and I didn't! You and Shera are getting along! Reeve was actually in charge during a fight! My brain's gonna fry from overuse!!" she cried, tugging at her hair.

"You mean that you actually used it?" There was a chuckle as Cid slipped past her, delighting in her aggravation. "There's a first time for everything," he commented.

Yuffie glared in return.

* * *


	21. One Last Chance

**Warning: Some yaoi, limey stuff down there. Skip it if you don't want to read it! **

**Chapter Twenty-One: One Last Chance **

After ShinRa's failed attempt to destroy Meteor, they were left at a momentary loss for what to do… until the planet's scream led them to remember Bugenhagen's wisdom. They retrieved the last Huge Materia from the bottom of the ocean and headed to Cosmo Canyon, where the elderly sage reminded them of what hope might yet remain.

Aeris.

Now, they were aboard the Highwind, Bugenhagen included, heading for the City of the Ancients. They hoped to discover why the flower-girl had gone there in the first place. At least, the others planned to enter the city. Cid, on the other hand, was taking a well-deserved break, and the moment the Highwind was successfully in the air, he walked out of the cockpit, beginning his search for a certain elusive gunman.

After they had been picked up from the crash site, the pilot hadn't really had a chance to talk to Vincent. He had tried to talk to him while they were retrieving the Huge Materia and before they had arrived at Cosmo Canyon, but the gunman was hiding. He couldn't be certain why. It wasn't as if they had made any promises, but considering the progress they had made, it seemed a few steps back for Vincent to become aloof again.

Or maybe it was because of all the progress they had made. Cid couldn't be sure.

Thus, the reason he decided to search the man out. Cloud didn't need everyone for his jaunt into the city, and Cid knew for a fact that the blond was only taking Yuffie, Nanaki, and Barret.

Therefore, he had plenty of time to find Vincent. He had already decided he wasn't going to press the gunman for definition any more. He supposed it didn't really matter what label they had, especially since it seemed Vincent was more inclined to stick around this time. He was evasive and skittish whenever Cid asked anyway. In the big picture, it really wasn't important to the pilot. Besides, now that they had some free time, it was the perfect chance to have a little fun.

Visions of pale skin and lips haunted him, making his pants a lot tighter than they should have been. He hurried faster through the corridors.

The Captain began to check all the usual places, starting first with Vincent's room. It was dark underneath the door, and no one answered his continual knocking. Cid gave up and headed for the common room, thinking that perhaps his lover had gone to get a coffee or something similar. There was no luck there either, and he turned back into the hallway, shoving his hands in his pockets.

He had just decided to head for the deck when he accidentally bumped into Reeve. Apparently, the former executive had also been deep in thought, which prompted their unexpected collision.

"Sorry, Reeve," Cid muttered, running a hand through his hair as he reached for a cigarette. He thought to move on before pausing and cocking his head to the side. "Say, you haven't seen Vincent, have you?" he questioned, his tone as nonchalant as he could force it. Unfortunately, tact wasn't something he was well acquainted with, and it came out slightly suspicious.

The other man distractedly shook his head. "Umm, no, sorry," he responded, chewing on his bottom lip. "Why don't you call his PHS?"

"Doesn't have one," Cid answered evenly, a bit taken aback by the strange gleam in his friend's eyes. "He's been a bit out of it."

"Ah," Reeve murmured in understanding, though it was more an involuntary response than an actual attempt to prove he had been listening.

Cid lit up a cigarette and eyed the ex-executive for a minute. Reeve seemed a bit more disheveled than usual, and his normally unshakable exterior seemed a bit… well, shaken, for lack of a better word. As a man who liked to think of himself as Reeve's friend, he was concerned.

He blew out a grey ring of smoke. "So where ya headin'?" the pilot asked.

Reeve shrugged, managing to both look slightly lost and distracted. "I don't know. The common room maybe." He didn't even sound sure.

The pilot was now certain that something was wrong.

Cid gestured towards the hall with his head as he took off towards the common room, happily sucking on a cigarette. "C'mon. I'll get you a coffee or sumthin'."

The other male appeared to consider this for a moment before nodding. "Okay."

The two walked in silence, the low thrum of the engines a comforting backdrop. A cloud of cigarette smoke followed in their wake as the pilot hurriedly sucked away, knowing he would be hearing it from Vincent if the man even saw him.

Honestly, what was the gunman's issue?

He liked to smoke; that's all there was to it. He only had two… or three… or maybe even seven in a day. That was not that much… really.

Reeve's voice cut through the Captain's musings. "You know, Cid," he began slowly, a hint of something echoing in his tone. "I haven't seen you smoking in a long time."

The pilot paused for a moment, remembering why it seemed to bother Vincent so much. He had been lectured on cancer, lung disease, and yellowed-teeth until his ears felt like they were going to bleed. Then, the other man had gone into bad breath, yellow fingers, and a shorter lifespan for so long that Cid was nearly ready to promise his firstborn if it would get Vincent to just stop. Not that he would have a firstborn or anything considering he was… well, gay.

Cid snorted. "Well, it's a nasty habit," he answered vaguely, shrugging.

The other man made a noncommittal sound. "Sometimes a necessary one though, thanks to the stress of living in this world," he commented.

The pilot looked back at Reeve, who was a few steps behind him. They exchanged glances for all of a moment before Cid wordlessly reached for another cigarette. He handed it to his friend and offered him a light. The executive coughed at his first inhale but managed the rest with flair and dignity, and soon, he had his own curl of grey smoke rising up as well.

"I've never smoked before, you know," Reeve commented absentmindedly, their steps echoing hollowly in the almost empty corridors.

Most of Cid's crew must have been hard at work.

"Why start now?"

The other man shrugged. "Just felt like I needed one. Thanks."

Blue eyes shot to him curiously, but he nodded in understanding as they approached the common room. The Captain pushed open the swinging door, and they stepped inside, pleased to find that it was as empty as it was twenty minutes ago when he had come in the first time. Gesturing Reeve towards a table, Cid dug into his pockets for some change to put it into the machine, wondering why he had never bothered to just get a regular coffee pot.

A few moments later, he returned to the table with a steaming styrofoam cup for the each of them. Cid would rather have tea, but it just wasn't available.

"Wanna talk about it?" the pilot asked as he took his seat, turning the chair backwards so that he could lean against the back.

Reeve took a drag on his cigarette, delighting in the familiar flavor, even if he wasn't used to it himself. "You going to tell me why you're looking for Vincent?" he asked, wondering if it would be an exchange of secrets.

The other man shrugged. "I have to talk to him about something, no big deal. Now, what about you?"

The ex-executive sighed, appearing to contemplate before beginning quietly, "I've pretty much always worked for ShinRa, you know. Started in the military at a young age, recognized for my talents, and drafted into intelligence. I was one of the youngest investigators that they had and one of the best, which attracted the attention of the President." He paused to take a sip of his drink, letting his cigarette burn away between his fingers.

It was more for the familiar scent than anything else.

"And not the least bit modest," Cid joked, raising an eyebrow.

The other man shrugged. "Why bother with modesty when it is the truth? Besides, that isn't even the point." His eyes took on a strange look as he shifted his gaze away, staring at some unknown spot on the wall. "I became Head of Urban Development when the higher ups got excited by my early designs of robotic helpers, which were of course, Cait Sith. I had wanted to do some good. It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. The company that I idolized was corrupt, and then… things got complicated."

"Complicated?" the Captain repeated.

"Yes. A terrorist group called AVALANCHE started to rise against ShinRa, and then, dead generals started coming back to life," Reeve sniped sarcastically. He bit his lip when he realized he was snapping at Cid for no reason. "Little by little, a resistance was developing against ShinRa, and the President didn't like it one bit. Rufus is even more ruthless than his father, only more cunning and cruel. The President was a bastard, but Rufus… he is cold and calculating, using whatever means necessary to get what he wants."

Cid only nodded to show that he was listening as he attempted to digest what Reeve was telling him. He shifted a bit in his seat, sipping mutely at his coffee and contemplating a second cigarette.

The executive's eyes were on the table, cigarette still burning untouched between his fingers. "You have to understand; I never wanted to spy on your group or betray you either. I actually liked you. It seemed your cause was just and true, not based on greed and power like ShinRa. But they used him against me and threatened to hurt him." Reeve looked up and locked eyes with Cid, ensuring the pilot that he was speaking from his heart. "I am telling you because I believe that you know exactly what I mean. We all have secrets to protect."

Cid nodded slowly. Yes, he knew very well. Although no one of their group was aware that he and Reeve had known each prior to the current events, Cid understood that Reeve was cognizant and understood the reason for secrets. Whether or not the ex-executive knew of Vincent was up for debate.

He sat forward in his seat, balancing one arm against the back of the chair. "I'm not going to ask that you tell me who 'he' is because I certainly ain't going to divulge any names either, but he's in ShinRa, ain't he?"

Reeve sighed and rubbed his temples. "Yes, and now, we stand on opposite sides of the field. I am at a loss for what to do. I can't fight him. I won't fight him, and he still doesn't know about the threats."

"It's probably better that he doesn't," the blond muttered knowingly. "Sometimes, they tend to get cranky if they find out you were trying to protect 'em."

Reeve nodded as he drank solidly from his coffee; it had finally cooled down enough. "I agree. He's actually the one that smokes," he added as more of an afterthought. He flicked the large collection of ash from his cigarette, took one last drag before grinding it out into the ashtray. He really only wanted the familiarity of it, not really interested in the nicotine.

"At least, you don't have to worry about chasing after him," the pilot commented. "Sometimes, they can be as slippery as an eel."

"Ah, but the fun is in the catching." Amber eyes sparkled as if remembering a past time, and for a moment, the melancholy look that had afflicted Reeve managed to lift, making him look younger.

"Right you are," Cid commented. He stood up and stretched, quickly draining the last of his cup. He crushed the styrofoam in his hand and tossed it near the wastebasket, easily missing the can by several feet. "Well, guess I'd better go see how off course we are with that moron flying."

Reeve rose to his feet as well, walking over to put his cup in the trash and bending down to pick up Cid's missed projectile. "You aren't going to continue searching for Vincent?" he questioned, absentmindedly tossing the crumpled cup into the trashcan. After all, he was quite used to picking up after someone else.

"Of course," the blond responded, heading for the door. "I can't just let 'em get away from me, now can I?" he asked rhetorically, throwing the ex-executive a glance over his shoulder.

Reeve nodded his understanding, and Cid was immediately glad that the troubled expression on his face had all but vanished.

"No, you certainly can't," he agreed. "Good luck."

"Not gonna need it. But if it's there, I ain't lettin' it go, ya get me?" the pilot returned before flipping a hand at Reeve in a form of goodbye.

Reeve raised a hand to return the gesture, but Cid was already gone.

In the hallway, Cid resisted the urge to whistle as he shoved his hands in his pockets and continued his strolling search. He considered that his good deed for the day, and now, with the conversation with Reeve behind him, it was time to find Vincent. He checked the usual haunts once more, the darkened shadow of the bridge and Vincent's room, but both were missing dark-haired gunman. So he headed to the deck on a whim. Sometimes, Vincent braved the bright sunlight.

As he approached the door, however, voices floated his direction, and he paused to listen. Not that he was eavesdropping or anything. Besides it was his damn airship, and he was curious as all hell. He craned his ear towards the door, picking up on most of the conversation.

Bugenhagen's voice floated to him first. "You are going to have to tell me exactly when this happened, not that I disapprove of the changes."

Cid's brows rose. He leaned closer as he heard someone sigh in response.

"It happened in the battle against Scorpios."

Ah, the pilot recognized Nanaki immediately.

"I was trying to save Yuffie, and I couldn't. I was angry, and then… I don't know. Something flashed, and I was in this body."

Nanaki stopped speaking, and Cid craned his neck to hear what came next, barely able to distinguish the sounds of someone shifting around.

"I needed Phoenix, but Reeve had her. I don't know how I knew it, but somehow, I called her by her true name. She came to me."

The old grandfather hummed thoughtfully. "Did you know that the amulet was a result of a peace treaty between the Wutaiians and your clan years and years ago?" he questioned, abruptly changing the subject.

The change was so rapid that even Cid was reeling as he blinked in confusion, not that it stopped him from listening.

"How would I know that?" Nanaki countered with a hint of sarcasm to his voice. "What's that to do with it?"

Cid swore that Bugenhagen sounded amused, probably because his grandson had just sounded like a teenager. "Apparently, it is the cause of your transformation, though I do not understand exactly how or why it works."

"Old man!"

Cid leapt high into the air, whirling around to face Yuffie with his heart pounding in his chest. "The fuckin' hell, Yuffie!" he snarled. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

She had interrupted him at the worst time, too. He was starting to get into the really juicy stuff!

Brown eyes sparkled as she gave him a knowing look. "You're the one eavesdropping," she pointed out, planting her hands on her hips.

He snorted as he pushed down a vaguely sheepish look. "Shouldn't you be barfing somewhere?" he countered smugly.

"Hardy-har-har, very funny," she snarked, rolling her eyes before pushing past him to peer through the window in the door. "Whatcha lookin' at?"

He crossed his arms over his chest. "Nothin' brat. Now scram. I gots work to do."

Yuffie waved him off. "Yeah right. You've just been wandering around like a lost puppy." She craned her neck, peeking through the view portal. "Ah! There he is!"

"I'm not a lost puppy!" Cid huffed. "I'll have you know that I was looking fer somethin'."

She shot him a look over her shoulder as she winked. "Or someone," she chirped before pushing open the door to the deck hard enough to make it smack against the opposite wall and announce her presence. "Oy, Nanaki! I been looking for you," she called out.

Behind her, Cid was spluttering indignantly. She rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm, dragging him outside, ignoring his spluttered comments. He really was amusing to tease.

Bugenhagen and Nanaki turned to greet their visitors, both of them standing near to the railing. Yuffie's step was jaunty the first bit of the stroll across the deck, but the closer she got, the greener her face was. By the time, she reached Nanaki she looked as if she needed to find the nearest corner to puke in. It was a good effort.

She released Cid and cast her best friend a pitying look.

"Greetings, Captain Highwind," Bugenhagen said with a tip to his head before he turned towards the unsteady ninja. "And Miss Kisaragi, you are not looking too well."

She waved him off. "I'll be fine once the ground stops trying to say 'hello.'" She ulped and faltered, but Nanaki was immediately at her side, placing a concerned claw on her elbow and keeping her standing. She cast him a grateful smile.

The elderly man chuckled. "The fresh air is good for you. Come sit by the railing. It may aid you." He turned towards the pilot. "This is a fine example of engineering, Captain. I do so love the smell of machinery."

A broad grin broke out on the blond's face. He gave the old man a hearty slap on the back.

"In'it though?" he questioned with a laugh. "There's nothin' like the smell of grease and engine." He paused considering something. While Nanaki was busy with Yuffie, he leaned in towards the old man. "Say, you haven't seen Vincent around have you?"

"Mr. Valentine?" Bugenhagen questioned. "No, can't say that I have."

Cid pursed his lips but nodded nonetheless. "Man's like a damn shadow. Ain't no one seen him."

"Seen who?" Yuffie piped up near Cid's ear, and he nearly had another heart attack.

He whirled around and jabbed a finger in her face. "Stop doin' that, brat."

She giggled but ignored his threat. "So tell me more about the amulet," she suggested, turning towards Bugenhagen. "I heard it had something to do with Wutai and Nanaki's kind. Why did we start fighting anyway?"

Vaguely interested, the pilot listened as Bugenhagen nodded and began to explain, but it was only with half an ear. Inwardly, he was trying to discern where Vincent could possibly be hiding. When he didn't want to be found, it was rather impossible to locate him. Was the ex-Turk purposefully making himself scarce?

"Petty differences and racial arguments, nothing worth mentioning," Bugenhagen said. "But the amulet was made by the highest ranking monk of Dao-Chao and the strongest spiritual chieftain of Nanaki's clan. It was a collaborative effort made to ensure that peace would always exist between the two races."

"Wow," Yuffie exclaimed, her eyes shining. "That's so cool. What else do you know about our history?"

Bugenhagen opened his mouth to explain, but Cid interrupted him, "All right, brat. Keep yourself outta trouble. I'm headin' in," he said with a flip of his wrist as he headed for the door. "History makes me wanna sleep."

The three called out their goodbyes, and he could just make out the sounds of Bugenhagen starting out his tales as the door to the deck slid shut behind him. On the other side, he breathed a sigh of relief having escaped that sleep-inducing event and started back on his search. He wandered to the infirmary and the chocobo paddocks, as well as scouring every dark inch of the cargo bay.

No dark-haired gunman.

Getting a little frustrated, Cid checked the bridge and the common room once more, just in case he had passed Vincent somewhere along the way. But no one had seen him. Damn vampire was always hiding in the shadows.

He had just got it in his mind to check the last room on his list, one he had avoided because he didn't think he would find Vincent there, when he felt the airship touch ground. The others would be heading into the City of the Ancients soon, if not at that very moment. Well, at least, the other pilot did a good job at landing for once.

On a whim, Cid rounded the corner and strode into the conference room, his eyes finding the crimson-cloaked form of his lover almost immediately. He rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"There ya are!" he exclaimed. "What the hell are ya doin' in here?"

Vincent glanced over hi shoulder, only looking away for a few seconds from the world map he was studiously perusing. "Thinking," the gunman answered succinctly, returning his gaze to the map.

Cid raised a brow, already making his way across the room to his lover's side. "Don't ya think ya do that enough?" he asked as he wondered why Vincent had chosen to hide in the conference room of all places.

"Or maybe you don't do it enough?" Vincent countered with some amusement before he turned to face the approaching man. "Were you looking for me?"

The pilot grunted. "For two damn hours!" he expressed with a wave of his hand. "Yer never in here, so it's the last place I checked. And that's after goin' to the bridge, the common room, and your room twice! I cheered up Reeve and listened to Bugenhagen blather."

"All for me?"

Cid sniffed. "You'd like to think that wouldn't you?"

Vincent shot him an amused glance before stepping closer, one hand reaching out to drag the other man towards him. "I don't know what to think when it comes to you," he murmured seductively, his hands settling on the blond's hips as he turned the man to face him.

Cid blinked. "You sure are friendly today," he said with a note of suspicion, which was understandable given Vincent's usual mood and charm.

"Am I not allowed to be friendly?" the gunman countered with a raised brow. Before Cid could respond, he dipped his head and sealed their lips together, taking advantage of the pilot's open mouth.

He could no more understand his feelings for the Captain anymore than he could explain the subtle lightening of his burdened heart. The strange liaison with Cid was inexplicable, and he had given up trying. He didn't know what he wanted or expected, only that he didn't ever want Cid to leave. It was a startlingly realization, and he wasn't sure what to think about it.

Cid's lips parted easily, and Vincent's tongue dipped inside, tasting both coffee and cigarettes. The pilot had been smoking again.

An amused purr rumbled in Vincent's chest as Cid pressed closer to him. His scruff scraped against Vincent's jaw, which he actually found quite enjoyable.

"Been smoking again, Chief?" Vincent asked as he broke away from their kiss, leaving his lips only inches from Cid's.

The pilot immediately scowled. "I'm a grown ass man," he retorted defensively, feeling his hackles rise. "And I been smokin' for years. Ain't gonna stop me." Never mind the fact that he had been cutting back for some time now.

A hand drifted down to his belt, rattling the metal. "Really? When did you start?"

He stared at the gunman suspiciously. "First year I joined ShinRa. When I was sixteen. I had an older…" His words trailed off when deft fingers began undoing his belt buckle. Heat instantly flashed through his body, straight to his groin as his eyes flickered to the closed door of the conference room.

"Uh… Vince? What're you doin'?"

Vincent smirked at him, _smirked at him_, and those vivid eyes held a note of mischief never before seen. "I would think it obvious, Chief," he replied, the sound of a zipper sliding downwards filling the silence.

Cid groaned, his eyes falling shut of their own accord. "Feelin' frisky today, aren't you?" he grunted, licking his lips with anticipation.

"Isn't that why you were looking for me?" Vincent asked, somewhat amused.

"No," Cid protested, barely able to speak coherently as one of his hands rose of its own accord to tangle in darkened strands. "Not the only reason."

Vincent hummed thoughtfully. "Do tell," he said before leaning forward and engulfing the Captain's entire length in his mouth.

Any thought that Cid might have had immediately died in his mind as it was replaced by hot-white pleasure. The oddness of the situation, the feel of his lips, the off chance that they could get caught, it made the pilot's blood stir and thrum heatedly through his veins.

A groan rumbled in the pilot's throat as he cursed under his breath, trying to keep his voice down so that anyone passing by wouldn't get curious. He could already feel himself swiftly approaching orgasm. His fingers tightened in dark strands, probably hard enough to pull out a few hairs.

Vincent grunted, and Cid loosened his grip, muttering an apology.

A moan escaped the pilot's mouth, tingles racing along his spine as Vincent's fingers stroked him teasingly.

"Damn tease," the pilot murmured affectionately.

Deep red eyes glanced up at him then, glinting with desire before they slid shut just as quickly. Vincent took that opportunity to press his lips forward. Cid gasped, his hips jerking forward. He hadn't expected that. The gunman swallowed. Just once, but that was all it took.

Cid grunted as he spilled himself, an unintelligible curse pouring from his lips. Vincent swallowed him down without hesitation, waiting out the last few tremors before slowly and carefully tucking the Captain back into his pants and sliding the zipper up.

He rose to his feet, aided somewhat by the other man's needy tug as Cid dragged their lips together, shoving his tongue into Vincent's mouth with an air of desperation. The former Turk was more than happy to oblige, a critical matter throbbing for release inside his own pants. He curled his left arm around Cid, pressing their bodies together and rubbing his hardened groin against the front of his lover.

Cid's tongue swiped inside the gunman's mouth, getting a subtle taste of his own cum as he nibbled on Vincent's bottom lip. His hand traced the other man's back as his stubble scraped along Vincent's chin. Heat built between them, making the conference room seem far warmer than usual as the gunman's hands tangled in Cid's short hair, absentmindedly dislodging the ever-present goggles.

Vincent broke away from the kiss with a gasp, his teeth scraping along the pilot's jaw as he shifted their groins together, eliciting a kiss from the other man. "Bed," he murmured, not even caring to ask himself why Cid could affect him this way. He stopped trying to make rational sense out of everything the day he first ran into blue eyes within a leaning, rusted rocket.

The pilot nodded before slowly entangling himself from Vincent and heading over to the door. Vincent smirked to himself as he noticed the faintly swollen look to his lover's lips and the haphazard set of his clothes. Cid peered out into the hallway, noted the coast was clear, and slipped outside, motioning for Vincent to follow him.

Luckily, they made it to the pilot's room without encountering anyone. They tumbled inside, lips already finding one another as quickly as possible, and Cid kicked the door shut behind them. His hands busied themselves with unbuckling the many clasps that Vincent insisted on wearing, while the gunman was already working away on Cid's belt, undoing what he had recently redone.

They nearly tripped over their own feet, lost to their desires, when the sudden crackling of static filled the air. It was the sound of the intercom spurting to life.

"Umm… this is on, right?" Cloud's voice.

The two men exchanged glances, crimson meeting sky blue in a mutual expression of annoyance.

"Oh, it is? Okay… umm, everyone to the conference room. Yeah… that's all."

There was a clatter, a muffled curse, and a click before the intercom went silent.

Cid sighed, letting his head fall forward to Vincent's shoulder with a quite thunk, his hands still tangled in the other man's cloak. Reluctantly, a pale hand slipped away from the pilot's belt.

"Duty calls," Cid muttered. "Kid coulda picked a worse time."

"You owe me," Vincent inserted, slightly testy.

There were twin sighs as they disentangled themselves once more, and with evident reluctance, the two began to rearrange their clothes, Vincent wincing as he tucked his aching arousal back into his pants. Sky blue eyes noted this from the corner of his vision as he resituated his buckle.

Then, Cid paused and reconsidered the situation. Vincent noticed and gave him a curious glance, but the pilot was deep in thought.

"Ah, fuck it!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "Cloud and them can wait for five damn minutes."

Vincent furrowed his brow. "What are you--" His words were promptly cut off as he was tackled unceremoniously to the floor, hands already fumbling at his belt as lips found his.

"Takin' care of business," the pilot explained with a grin as he pulled back from the brief kiss.

Crimson eyes blinked, but sudden understanding struck him when Cid slid down his body. A warm mouth engulfed him, and Vincent's flesh hand instantly found its place in blond locks.

"Cid!"

* * *

Five minutes later, they finally made it to the conference room, and luckily, they weren't the last to arrive. No one seemed to notice their slightly ruffled appearance being as they were too preoccupied with whatever had occurred down in the City of the Ancients. Reeve was actually the last to stumble in, rubbing sleep from his eyes and yawning none too subtly.

Cloud shot him a look as the other man took a seat. "Well, now that everyone's here, we can start," he said, raking a hand through his blond spikes. "Holy is the only thing that can stop Meteor. But to use it we need the White Materia."

Barret wrinkled up his nose. "Okay, so where'd we get that?"

"Aeris had it," Vincent murmured from where he stood leaning up against the wall, opting not to sit down. "Which must mean there is nothing more that we can do."

Bugenhagen shook his head as he floated to the front of the room, moving to directly beside the huge map. "Not quite," he corrected. "We found writing there, something Ancient that was partially translated by someone else. It may hold the answers we are looking for."

"Exactly." Cloud inclined his head. "We could only make out a few words: 'key' and 'in the music box.' The music box was there, but we couldn't find the other half. Our only clue was that we could 'find the key' where 'light does not embrace.'" He paused as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Any suggestions?"

"A cave or something similar," Nanaki suggested immediately. "Only, we've been everywhere on this planet, and I know of no unknown cave systems. Surely, someone else would have found it by now otherwise."

Reeve tilted his head to the side as a sudden thought occurred to him. "What about underwater? It's dark, especially in the deeper waters, and much of it is still unmapped."

"What about Deep Man's Cave?" the exuberant ninja piped up.

All eyes turned in her direction.

"What's that?" the ex-SOLDIER questioned, looking down at the elated Yuffie with a frown. "I've never heard of it."

"It's on the southern tip of Wutai," the ninja answered, nodding fiercely. There was a curious cast to her face. "I'm pretty sure there's an underground tunnel that led beneath the ocean there."

"It's worth checking out," Reeve responded with a faint shrug. "It certainly fits the requirements."

"Wutai _is_ the one place we have yet to search," Nanaki pointed out.

"And I can take you there," Yuffie exclaimed excitedly, clapping her hands together. "The 'key' or whatever it is will probably be there."

"There you have it! Ho ho ho!" Bugenhagen put in jovially, clapping both the ninja and the swordsman on the back. "On to Wutai, it is then."

"Wait a minute!" Cid declared, holding up his hand.

All eyes now turned towards him.

"What if instead of gallivanting off towards the brat's pretend cave, some of us take the submarine as well. We can do all the searching in half the time." He wasn't too keen on following the suggestion of Yuffie, of all people.

"No!" the little ninja defied loudly. "I… I mean, Deep Man's Cave is really dangerous, and we'll need everyone's mat- uh… help in order to traverse the peril."

Cloud eyed her suspiciously. "I highly doubt that it's necessary for the seven of us to take on a dark tunnel, one that twists beneath the ocean."

Suddenly, the blond went a little white as he realized exactly what that journey would entail. It wasn't that he minded going underwater or underground or even tight places, but when the three sketchy situations were combined, it left him feeling just a bit edgy. That was not to mention how entirely dark it would be and probably fraught with monsters. It was not his idea of an easy time.

"Fine," he acquiesced. "We'll all go."

"Trust me, Cloud." The brown-eyed girl nodded sagely. "You won't regret it."

Cid snorted in disbelief. "I highly doubt that."

* * *


	22. Seeing Stars

[This is Chaos speaking  
(This is Galian Beast)

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Seeing Stars**

The Highwind landed without incident on the southern tip of Wutai, the barest glimpse of tiny islands just visible off shore. Yuffie's cave certainly didn't appear to be more than a hole in the ground from above, and the airship's occupants had spilled out one by one until they all stood before the entrance.

Staring at the dark, yawning mouth that was the opening to Deep Man's Cave, Cloud wondered why they had even bothered to listen to the girl. He stood with his hand on the hilt of his sword with it slung over his shoulder. A frown decorated his face alongside a slightly perplexed expression. Beside him, both Yuffie and Nanaki stood, gazing into the darkness. They were the only two willing to go with him, though the demi-human was only going because the ninja was.

Barret had taken one look at the darkened cave with its eerie and disgusting smell and had backed out, claiming that "Spike" and the rest could handle it without his aid. He had returned to the airship before Cloud could say anything else.

Looking at the size of the cave, their leader didn't think a large group would fit anyway. It even seemed to be a tight squeeze for someone of Yuffie's size, much less a person with Barret's girth.

So instead, he chose the strong and agile Nanaki… and of course Yuffie as a guide. The others were sent back to the Highwind, not that there was any argument. No one seemed too enthused to enter the cave, especially since it was the ninja's plan to begin with.

"It smells like the only thing we'll find are piles of rotting fish," Cloud remarked with a wrinkle of his nose.

He began to wonder if claustrophobia was something a person could just suddenly develop or if he had had it all along. Perhaps it was just his imagination running away with him. Regardless, he was still none too keen about following the ninja into "Deep Man's Cave."

Nanaki nodded, holding a somewhat clawed hand over his own nostrils. There was no airflow, but the smell seemed to waft out of its own accord.

"The air is positively foul," the demi-human remarked, turning his head away.

Yuffie was, however, grinning from ear to ear. "Aw, come on! You guys aren't afraid of a little smell, are you? I'm sure the key's down there… somewhere," she responded with a vague wave of her hand.

Cloud resisted the urge to sigh, and he gestured towards the darkened entrance to the tunnel with one hand, twisting his wrist around as he did so.

"Lead on then," the blond acquiesced with a frown.

It was Yuffie's idea to come here, so let it be her pleasure to be the first to enter the black and disgustingly foul hole.

She shrugged nonchalantly, twirling one of her throwing stars around a finger before strolling jauntily inside the dark depths. She obviously expected the two males to follow her as she didn't even look backwards. There was a bounce to her step that was higher than usual and an odd gleam in her eye. Then again, there always seemed to be strange sparkles in Yuffie's eye.

Nevertheless, Cloud and Nanaki exchanged ominous glances.

"She is acting strangely," the demi-human commented. He made it a point to check for his materia, counting and agreeing that it all was there. He also tightened the claw on his wrist as well.

It never hurt to be too careful.

"So you noticed it, too, eh? We should keep a close eye on her," Cloud responded before following the girl inside.

Golden eyes traced the other male's movements before Nanaki readied his claw and also entered.

Almost immediately, they were surrounded by darkness and silence. The deeper they trod, the more the sounds from the world outside were dimmed. Finally, they were completely quieted. The steady drip of water from something along with the noise of their footsteps against the rocky ground were the only things that accompanied their movements.

Yuffie was humming some merry tune, the same "Materia, Materia" from before, if Cloud remembered correctly. Incidentally, they weren't sure exactly how Yuffie knew where she was going and thought it best not to ask.

Both males were unusually jumpy, almost expecting a monster to pop out of nowhere. Luckily for the ex-SOLDIER, the mako helped him to see in the dark, and Nanaki was having no trouble with his superior vision. The light from the demi-human's tail wasn't really helping much, but it was still better than nothing.

The rotten smell had not faded and seemed to only increase the further they went in. Further, quarters were becoming increasingly cramped, the three of them walking in a line as opposed to side by side.

The trio walked for the better part of twenty minutes in relative silence, not having much to say and reluctant to open their mouths to the revolting stench. Cloud was glad for the silence as he found his mind rather full and confused. There was a lot that had been plaguing his thoughts lately, and it seemed Vincent and he were becoming more and more alike as the blond had taken to brooding.

He wondered what the purpose of this key was. Bugenhagen had said that it might be the clue in solving the mystery behind Holy, the special materia that would bring the planet's salvation and destroy Meteor. The key was to a music box, or so they had assumed. Would this box perhaps hold another materia like Holy? But then, who would pray for its activation? Was Aeris' sacrifice even necessary?

And then, Sephiroth… the General had been the one to slay her, slicing her through like she meant nothing to him. A faint smile, a rather rare thing for the silver-haired man, had quirked at the corner of his mouth even as he did so. The blade had cut so smoothly through Aeris, and Cloud had been helpless, useless… as he had always been in the General's presence. Sephiroth had been his idol, the man who he both admired and perhaps even desired at one point. But now, seeing what he had become and in spite of what Cloud remembered of the man, he wondered if there was anything he could actually do to stop Sephiroth.

It was his same failure, same weakness. He hadn't been able to stop Sephiroth five years prior, and he hadn't even managed to save the woman he loved either. His own mother had been slain as a result of his inabilities, and now, his love was lost also. He had to stop Sephiroth; it was the only choice left to him now.

She had come to him in the Lifestream, helping him put the fractured pieces of his fragile mind together. Aeris had said that he had nothing to feel guilt for, that she had known her fate all along, and she had not faulted him for it. The flower-girl had wanted him to forgive himself, but he just couldn't do it. There had just been so many deaths, too many.

"How did you know of this place, Yuffie?" Nanaki questioned, his voice breaking through the silence and interrupting Cloud's thoughts.

Her humming ceased as she considered the query. "I used to play here all the time with my friend Liana. She was such a scaredy though. She wouldn't hardly come any further than where she could see the light."

The blond could practically see the girl's smirk of remembrance. "I can imagine why," Cloud murmured in response. "I'm surprised a monster hadn't attacked us."

Yuffie's humming continued then, the girl sporadically ceasing to respond. "It's really too small in this part, but it gets larger once we exit the tunnel."

"Grandfather never mentioned a tunnel beneath the ocean on Wutai; I wonder how old it is?" Nanaki thought aloud.

However, he was not answered, and they fell into another companionable silence, which was occasionally filled with the ninja's persistent song.

Nothing out of the ordinary occurred until the commonplace sound of Yuffie humming abruptly disappeared. Instantly, both males stopped in their tracks, ears straining, but they only heard the steady drip of water.

"Yuffie?" Cloud called tentatively.

It wasn't that he feared her loss, but rather, that he wasn't sure if he actually cared that she was missing. He was even silently weighing the options in his head as he tried again.

"Hello?"

The remaining two glanced about them. The darkness was nearly impenetrable, though they could make out the outlines of the rock walls around them and boulders that lay in their path. The ninja, however, was nowhere to be seen.

Cloud reached out for Nanaki, the pair finding each other in the dark and managing to stand back to back. They were now prepared to fight a foe they could neither see nor hear.

Suddenly, a rock cracked to the right, falling off the wall and crashing to the floor with a sharp rap. Their attention was immediately stolen in that direction, but they weren't prepared for what happened next. The sound of something hard striking something of equal hardness resounded throughout the silence as Cloud felt his companion slump against him.

He turned in surprise, only to see stars as something slammed into the back of his head, a gasp escaping from his mouth before he, too, slumped to the ground. As the world faded into oblivion and he slipped into blessed unconsciousness, the last thing he heard was the faint sounds of the song "Materia, Materia" once more.

Cloud would now forever hate that song.

---

It was silent in the common room, nearly empty save for one person. And that was exactly how Vincent preferred it.

He sat at the table, parts and pieces of the gun he had recently acquired spread around him. He was both cleaning it and rearranging his materia. Of course, it was more busy work than anything, something to keep him occupied rather than sitting in the dark in his room and brooding… as Cid would call it.

The ex-Turk had only recently started spending time with the pilot again, and he wasn't exactly sure why he had been avoiding Cid in the first place. He needed time to think and time alone at that, not that his seclusion had helped him understand anything. He just knew that his heart was starting to react in familiar ways, and Vincent wasn't sure he was ready to admit that to anyone else.

First, there was the uncharacteristic urge to comfort Cid and concern for his well being. He had worried for the blond with the man's stress of being leader and his concern for finding Cloud. That was the only reason why the Vincent had gone to him at all. Something within him would not allow him to walk away when he knew that Cid was in need of… something.

And then, there was the damn jealousy, and he truly recognized the emotion for what it was now. When he saw Shera and Cid laughing and getting along, it had burned through his chest. Perhaps he had thought, even for the briefest moment, that it meant the two would finally see what they had in each other. Some hidden part of him had raged within him, wondering what it would be like to laugh openly like that himself.

The brash pilot had somehow found a way to draw him out, to make him see beyond the guilt he had wrapped himself in. Vincent was slowly changing bit by bit, piece by piece, and he wasn't sure if that scared or encouraged him. However, it was enough for him to avoid the pilot for a short time, if only to try and think things through.

He couldn't afford to allow himself such feelings again, not considering what had happened the last time. Lucrecia had suffered a cruel fate because he had not kept to his Turk rules. If he had just done his job and left well enough alone, none of his own suffering would have occurred.

None of it would have happened.

He would have been able to stop Hojo; he would have shot the deranged man before he could bring destruction onto the world.

Instead, he had been a fool, captured by brilliant, brown eyes and a loving smile. And Vincent would be damned if he wasn't still partially in love with her, too. He supposed that was why he somewhat empathized with Cloud, despite their differences.

The ex-SOLDIER blamed himself for a death he could not have prevented. Vincent himself was guilty for being too weak to do anything to save the woman he loved. He could fully understand Cloud's pain, though he wouldn't allow himself to say anything aloud. The swordsman and he were still at odds far too often to allow for that kind of comfort.

[Ha, ha, ha, You run the same words through your mind over and over, as if by picking through them you might find the answers you seek, the demon teased in his head, the one whose presence was getting stronger.

It was yet another source of his self-hatred. If it hadn't been for his own weakness, Vincent might have never found himself with four fearsome demons occupying his mind. He didn't know for sure what had occurred thirty years ago, his fractured memory not revealing much. Nevertheless, the ex-Turk did know that most of his ills, his scarred body and the blood-lusty demons, were caused by Hojo.

"Shut up," he murmured under his breath, more of an unconscious response than anything else.

Vincent was increasingly having more than a little trouble blocking out the demons lately. Their protestations and taunting grew louder and stronger with each passing day.

(Haven't you even wondered what it is you have forgotten?) Galian Beast questioned, his rasping voice a dry echo within the gunman's mind.

Of course, Vincent had wondered, but having no means of restoring his memory, he hadn't wasted much of his brooding time on that particular problem. He had decided that the answers would come when they were ready. Just as the issue with Cid would either resolve itself or he would be able to drive the pilot away, just to save him from Lucrecia's fate.

So Vincent continued to pointedly ignore the demons, swiping an oiled cloth over the parts of the Winchester scattered around him and gauging how much ammunition he had. It was getting near to the time that he would have to purchase some more. The last gun had served him well, but with the stronger monsters that they were encountering as of late, a more powerful weapon was needed. Still, the Winchester suited his purposes just fine, though it had necessitated some fine tuning.

[My, aren't we sullen today? Chaos snickered. [What you need is a good killing. The smell of blood will certainly dissolve that apathy you seem to enjoy so much.

(I agree, Chaos), Galian Beast cackled. (He needs to get over this ridiculous belief that he is human and finally listen to us.)

"I never claimed to be human," Vincent muttered under his breath.

(I think we should slay the foul-mouthed one,) Galian commented murderously, his tone filled with enchanting malice. (Now, that would be far more amusing than being pinned in this body all day.)

The ex-Turk narrowed his now blazing eyes, prepared to make a sharp retort when the door to the common room banged open. Cid stepped through, grinning like the idiot Yuffie was, and Vincent surreptitiously shook his head as a physical effort to ignore the demons. He eyed the pilot curiously, wondering what the smiling man was up to as the Captain pulled up a chair. Cid turned it around backwards so that he could lean against the back of it, laying his arms across it.

"Whatcha doin', Vin?" the pilot questioned, eyes sparkling with mischievousness.

The gunman raised a darkened eyebrow as he gestured towards the many parts of his weapons and materia scattered around the table. "You are in a fine mood," he commented without answering Cid's question. He could still hear the demons muttering in the back of his mind but chose to stoically ignore them.

The other man grinned. "Yuffie's gone off in that tunnel with Cloud, and it's finally quiet on my airship. Don't have no damn ninja rolfing all over the Highwind. That's a good enough reason for me."

Cid watched as Vincent deftly reassembled the pieces of the gun, oiling those that needed it and snapping the bullets into their casings. The man definitely knew his way around his own weapon, his skill not just a boast but a fact.

The ex-Turk nodded in acknowledgement. "Her absence has been duly noted." He wondered why it was that Cid had come to see him, knowing that there was a purpose behind the visit.

"So where you been?" came the pilot's next question.

Vincent made a neutral sound, his internal inquiry being answered. "I have been here," he replied enigmatically.

Cid watched him closely. The gunman was concentrating wholly on his weapon, and he hadn't even looked up except for when he had first entered. The pilot was relieved that his own weapon was something mostly simple to handle rather than the intricate pieces involved in a gun.

He was glad that he had finally caught up to the elusive ex-Turk, who he hadn't seen since their group meeting several hours ago. Cid had plans in mind, which involved them doing something together outside of the airship. He wasn't sure what Vincent admitted to himself was between them, but he was willing to experiment a little, to try and prove it was more than great sex. His heart was certainly telling him that there was.

"Say, let's go to Wutai, while they're gone," the Captain blurted out after a moment of silence. "I gotta get something for the Highwind."

Vincent set down what appeared to be the barrel as his gaze flickered to Cid. "And you need me for this?"

The blond grinned again. "I hear they have some great hot springs in Wutai. Besides, I'm goin' a bit stir crazy."

The corner of the gunman's lips quirked up into a half smile, recognizing the pilot's words for what they were… an attempt at seduction. Cid had his own way of doing things, far from flowers and candy, which Vincent would rather not have. Perhaps it was time he stopped running away and stuck around, at least conversing with the man. Maybe then he could better understand what was going on inside him.

He gave a sidelong glance at Cid before he finally began to put the pieces of the Winchester back together in their proper order and popping the materia back into its rightful place. He narrowed his eyes, seemingly in concentration. However, Vincent was really thinking about the suggestion.

"Will they not leave without us?" the ex-Turk finally inquired.

Cid held up his right hand, the jangle of metal accompanying the movement. "They can't. I've got the keys, and I left strict orders that the Highwind not move from this spot."

"Very well then, let's go," Vincent replied, as though making a great concession. He rose, smoothly placing the Winchester in its holster, even as Cid stood also. He pushed his chair back under the table.

The Captain grinned and reached for his goggles as the two headed for the cargo bay, intent on exiting the airship and strolling to Wutai. Yet, one stern glance from the gunman had him shaking his head and sighing as he forewent his cigarette and put down his arm.

---

Soft, mako-blue eyes fluttered open with a groan as Cloud sat up, holding his head. His world spun with dizziness as he licked his lips, trying to clear the cotton feeling out of his mouth. The smell of dead fish still surrounded him, and his skin was cold and clammy from lying on the floor of the cave. For a moment, he entirely forgot where he was.

He looked around for his companions, finally spotting the dull flickering of Nanaki's tail a short distance away.

And then, it hit him like a ton of bricks. He remembered everything and cursed aloud, trying to jump to his feet but failing as his legs shook like jelly.

Curse that $!#& thief!

The short sound of the demi-human's moan alerted him, and the blond turned his gaze to the side, finding Nanaki slowly sitting up, also holding his head.

"You alright?" Cloud asked.

"Other than my aching head, I suppose," the demi-human commented.

He did a quick systems check. All of his limbs were intact, and nothing was broken. Other than the sizeable lump on his head, he was uninjured. He still had his claw, and yet… he checked again. Yep, both his armlet and weapon were devoid of materia.

"Damn," he muttered lowly, using a word that would have made his grandfather do a double-take.

Cloud raised his head, eyebrow furrowed in confusion. "What?" he asked, performing a body check of his own.

He still had his weapon, and he was uninjured. His head would hurt like a bitch for a while, but it was tolerable. His body was cold and clammy, and his clothes probably covered in muck.

It was then that he realized his situation as well.

"That $!#& thief!" he swore as he stood to his feet all in an anger. "My materia's gone."

The demi-human sighed softly. "As is mine."

"I should've known she was up to something!" Cloud muttered furiously.

The demi-human rose to his feet as well, glad to find that his body was shaking no longer.

"We've no choice then. Back to the airship," Cloud put in tersely. "We'll pick up Cid. I'm sure he'll be glad to hear of this, and then, get to Wutai."

Nanaki nodded in agreement, and the two headed off in the direction they hoped was the exit. At least, it seemed that the air was less foul from that direction.

As they walked, they fell into a silence. Cloud's ShinRa issued military boots clomped angrily across the rock strewn ground, and his furious mutterings were plainly audible. Nanaki thought it best if he didn't say anything.

Besides, he felt Yuffie couldn't have possibly been that bad. Perhaps there was a reason that they didn't know. So she had led them on a goose chase, had knocked them out and had stolen their materia. At least, she hadn't killed them.

Further, there was one tidbit of information that the demi-human had kept to himself.

Yuffie had stolen his materia; this much was true. Nevertheless, she had left behind one: his Earth materia. Whether or not she had done it on purpose, Nanaki couldn't be sure. She knew that was one of his favorites, if not his most preferred. The two of them had become close lately, seemingly the best of friends. Cloud's anger could not possibly compare to the betrayal he felt in his heart.

Yet, in her act of leaving him his favorite materia, it was almost like she was apologizing… or that she valued their friendship as much as he did. He hoped both were true since he didn't want to end the companionship that had developed between them.

Regardless, he certainly wasn't going to say anything aloud to Cloud. The man was angry enough as it was, not that Nanaki didn't blame him.

His head ached nearly as much as his heart, and he wondered what on Gaia Yuffie had struck them with. He gently raised a hand, gingerly pressing it to the sore bump in the same moment that Cloud muttered a curse, catching his attention.

Golden eyes looked up and found that there was a small corona of light in front of them, obviously the exit. And thus, the reason for Cloud's cursing.

They had only been walking for about five minutes. Earlier, Yuffie had led them in the cave for at least twenty. The sneaky devil had been leading them in circles, though Nanaki wasn't sure how she had accomplished that. The fact of the matter was that she was even more conniving than they had suspected.

Nanaki had to suppress another sigh.

Finally, the two stepped out into the warm sunlight, the shine glinting off the still present airship. It was a most welcome sight for the pair, though the sudden brightness was something that caused them to wince. The foul smell of the cave at last cleared from their nostrils with a breath of wind, and their spirits lifted if only for a fraction.

That is until Cloud had the present of mind to look at his attire.

Then, another round of cursing began; obviously, the man had been around both Cid and Barret for too long. Every bit of his clothing, from boots to turtle-necked sweater was covered in a thin layer of greenish grime and grit. Even his blond spikes were tinted with the goop from brushing at the top of the cave as they walked. He grimaced with disgust, attempting with vain to brush some of the mildewy mold off before giving up.

If he didn't have a ninja to track down, he would have gladly showered.

And Nanaki wasn't faring any better. The reason for the gentle flicker of his fire tail was obvious. He was coated in the gunk as well, some of it even clogging up the gears of his claw. He picked at the slime with one of his taloned nails, trying to return movement to his weapon as Cloud began stalking towards the Highwind. The swordsman continued muttering to himself, sounding both quite insane and furious as he did so, and it wasn't until they entered the airship and were surrounded by its utter quiet did the two even realize what they had not earlier.

The Highwind was shut down completely. It wasn't even on standby. The hallways were completely silent and deserted, as if everyone aboard had just up and disappeared.

Completely confused, the pair headed for the bridge after exchanging perplexed glances.

Yet, in walking, Nanaki caught something out of the corner of his eye as they passed an open door. Frowning, he paused, grabbing the edge of Cloud's sleeve and pulling the swordsman to a halt. He backed up a step to confirm what his eyes had told him.

Nothing had changed.

"What is it?" Cloud questioned, moving to his side.

Nanaki inclined his head towards doorway before the two entered, stopping just inside.

There was Barret, sitting in a chair with his head lying down on the table. He would have appeared to be simply asleep were it not for the fact that his head lay pillowed on a plate of cheesy mashed potatoes.

The sound of a snore could clearly be heard, and the situation would have been highly amusing had Cloud not been so angry to begin with.

"Uh… Barret?" the demi-human questioned, stepping slowly into the room.

He received only a snore in response as the burly human snorted and shifted in his sleep.

Cloud furrowed his brow, following Nanaki inside. He gripped Barret by the shoulders and shook him violently.

"Get up, you lazy ass! This is no time for sleeping!" he ordered.

Silence.

"It is a magical sleep," the demi-human commented, shaking his head. "And we haven't a single Heal or Remedy."

"Dammit," the blond cursed as he silently checked both Barret's armlet and his weapon. As he had originally suspected, both were devoid of their materia. "Yuffie strikes again."

With a sigh, the two turned and headed for the bridge, leaving Barret to his sleep on his pillow of cheesy potatoes. It was, after all, far more amusing that way. Although they would have loved to see the look on his face when he woke up, they had far more pressing matters to attend to.

Again, they were struck by the abject silence of the airship. Still, no crewmembers had been seen in the halls, which was highly unusual, causing Cloud to furrow his brow in confusion. Nanaki merely "hmm'ed" and continued forward, wondering if they could blame Yuffie for that as well.

Would they be able to find their companions? And would they be in the same state as Barret? Asleep with materia gone? Even the stoic and ever-alert Vincent?

The door to the bridge slid open, and the pair walked inside, finding that no one was present save for one crewman. He was thin with a receding hairline and was reclined in a chair, feet propped up on a console as he read a celebrity magazine. He didn't even look up when they entered.

"I want this airship off the ground and headed for Wutai," Cloud ordered in a snapping voice as he stormed towards the balding man.

Yet, he was received with only a vague disinterest. The man didn't even look up from his magazine to respond. He merely uncrossed, then recrossed his propped up legs.

"No can do, sir."

Cloud spluttered angrily, more curses spilling from his mouth. However, the crewmember, used to Cid, didn't even blanch or flinch.

It was up to Nanaki to salvage the situation.

"Why not?" the demi-human asked patiently, crossing his arms over his chest.

The crewmember sighed and looked at them once before returning his attention to the tabloid. "The Captain took the keys and grounded us when he went off to Wutai. We're all on a twelve hour break."

"He did what?" Cloud's eyes bulged from his head as a vein throbbed in his forehead. It looked ready to pop.

The thin man sighed again and put down the magazine, laying the glossed pages in his lap and looking up at the angry blond. He did not seem frightened in the least.

"The Captain took the keys and that quiet fellow, and they went off to the main city," he responded, speaking slowly, as if that would make the swordsman understand any better. "Everyone else is either sleeping or gone, save for myself."

Mako eyes twitched as Cloud took a breath to calm himself. "Have you seen Reeve, then?" he questioned.

The crewmember raised an eyebrow as he appeared to contemplate. "Hmm… dark hair, always wearing an expensive suit," he questioned, rubbing his chin in thought. "The one with a beard, right?"

Both Cloud and Nanaki nodded in response, a deceptively hopeful look on the demi-human's face.

The man frowned before picking up his magazine. "Nope. Haven't seen 'im." With that said, he pointedly returned his interest to the tabloid, ignoring both the other males

"Well," the demi-human said with a sigh, "I guess that means we're walking to Wutai."

Cloud clenched his fists in anger. "I swear to Kami that when I catch that ninja…" he trailed off, his meaning clear.

It wasn't even necessary that he finish the threat. After all, he was sufficiently pissed.

He had no materia and very little stock of potions and such. His clothes were covered in gunk from the cave as was his hair. One of his companions was lying asleep in a plate of cheesy potatoes. One was missing; no one knew where. Cid had taken off with Vincent and the Highwind's keys to the capital. Today was not a good day to be the leader of AVALANCHE.

"Say," the crew member said lazily, deigning to speak once again and interrupting the swordsman's musings. "If you're going to the capital, could be bring me back one of those expensive chocolate Dao-Chaos, you know the raspberry filled ones? They can only be found in the Wutai capital, and I have been craving one, if you know what I mean."

Cloud twitched, and Nanaki hurriedly intercepted the swordsman, turning him away from the crewmember and directing him towards the door. He almost pushed the blond out as he looked over his shoulder.

"We'll see what we can do," he replied before shoving Cloud out into the hallway.

After all, they had a long trip ahead of them.

* * *


	23. Secret Liaison

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Secret Liaison**

The Turtles Paradise Bar was the pride and joy of the city of Wutai. It was a large establishment located at the best spot, and it had been advertised all over the world, attracting many tourists. Nearly any alcoholic beverage a person could possibly dream was found there. And it was well known for being a favorite vacation spot for the illustrious Turks.

The door to this building opened, and a young looking man with dark hair and a beard stepped through. He was dressed in a tailored dark-blue suit that went very well with him, and he looked very distinguished. The man paused as he crossed the threshold, amber eyes scanning the room. He immediately located his targets, three darkly clad people sitting at the far wall, one with a head of red, one with a head of blond, and the last without any hair at all.

With his suspicions confirmed, the man continued into the bar, allowing the door to shut behind him. Reeve Tuesti took a seat at a near table with his back to the bar and pulled out his PHS, contemplating the device for just a moment.

"Can I help you, sir?" questioned the pretty and rather young waitress. Truthfully, she didn't seem old enough to be working in a bar. Hell, Yuffie looked to be older.

Reeve glanced up and smiled. "I'm meeting someone, so I will wait until they arrive before I order."

She positively beamed at him, her attempts at flirtation sadly misguided. "Sure, I'll come back later then."

And she sauntered away with a sashay to her hips, a thing that Reeve promptly ignored. Had it been five… no, six years before, he might have actually looked with interest. But now, his eyes belonged to one person and one person alone.

Shaking his head, the executive returned his attentions to his phone, and he began inputting the text that he planned to send. What fortunate luck it was for them to arrive in Wutai around the same time as the Turks' vacation. The prospect of seeing Reno, if even for a short time, was enough for Reeve to sneak from the Highwind and make his way to the capital city the moment that Cloud, Yuffie, and Nanaki had disappeared into Dead Man's Cave. It was the only reason he had even deigned to support Yuffie's suggestion.

The executive finished typing the message and sent it, the phone beeping at him softly to indicate a successful mail-out. He waited a few minutes more for the message to reach its intended target before rising from his table and walking out of the bar. His destination was the local inn, where he had already reserved a room under another name. It was sad that he was so used to this: the sneaking around and hiding just to be with his lover.

It was an unfortunate necessity, especially since Reeve was now considered a traitor.

The executive realized that the other Turks knew about the two of them… as did Heidegger, which was an inadvertent happenstance. However, with the world in its present state, it was still best that they tried to hide the truth of the matter. For even in Wutai, ShinRa soldiers were still everywhere.

Still, it was a common occurrence for him to long to have their relationship out in the open. He wanted to be able to freely walk around and call his love whenever he chose, rather than at a carefully pre-chosen time. He desired the ability to tell the world what he already knew in his heart: that he was in love with Reno. He never thought that he would ever find himself, once a person completely infatuated with women, in love with another man. However, there was something about Reno, and from first day that Reeve saw him, it couldn't be denied.

Yet, it was worse for them now than it was ever before. Standing on opposite sides of a battlefield with neither side knowing the true story, Reeve feared the day he would actually be forced to fight against his lover. He would never be able to hurt Reno, but then, that would mean again betraying those whose trust he had just barely gained. It was a tough decision, one that had been weighing on both his heart and mind, often causing sleepless nights and an aching head.

It had been a long time since he had been able to actually see Reno, talk to him, or just touch him. The last he had laid eyes on his lover had been during their attempts to take back the Huge Materia from the Junon reactor. It had been painful pretending that Reno had not set his heart to stirring. He had tried to convince them of the importance of the materia, but he had failed.

On opposite sides, there was a chasm between them now, and unless something was done, he may never get to see his love again.

Just thinking of that made Reeve's chest ache. He couldn't imagine actually living it.

The executive frowned as he walked, engrossed in his internal diatribe, and not even the cheerful decor of the western town could bring him out of his reverie. There weren't many people milling about the streets as it was not tourist season just yet. Truthfully, after ShinRa had defeated the Wutaiians, many had been forced to leave their home country to find paying work. There was a mere fraction of the original population now, and only a small portion of that was due to deaths in the war.

Always ShinRa. Everything it seemed could be traced back to Rufus' family and their mega corporation.

Suddenly, an arm shot out of the alley beside him, grabbing onto his sleeve and jerking him into the cool darkness before he could even react. Amber eyes widened in surprise before Reeve was pushed up against the side of a building, and lips were hungrily pressed to his own. However, he instantly recognized the familiar scent and taste, and Reeve eagerly returned the gesture.

A warm, wet tongue slid between his lips, twirling about his mouth and deepening their connection. One hand still clutched at his arm, and the other fisted in his suit. A warm body pressed against him, pinning Reeve to the side of the building. Only the need for air finally separated them, and the executive was able to look up into Mako eyes.

Reno simply grinned.

"How did you get--" the Turk questioned, but he was cut off before he could finish.

Reeve grabbed him, pulling the redhead close and kissing him again, and he put all of his pent up passions and fears into the single touch. He moved his lips desperately against Reno's, as if to assure himself that the Turk was still alive.

"I'm happy to see you, too, yo," Reno murmured against Reeve's mouth.

The executive flushed, feeling his cheeks turn red as he pulled away from the almost violent and most definitely needy kiss. "We probably don't have much time," he responded.

Reno grinned. "I'll take all the time I can get." He affectionately squeezed his lover's shoulder, but those aquamarine eyes were already darkening with lust and desire.

"I have a room at the inn," Reeve whispered. "Let's go."

---

"Well, this is… cheerful," Vincent commented dryly at first glance of the capital city of Wutai, which was conveniently also named Wutai. Although he wasn't sure cheerful was quite the word he was going for. Yet, for the grinning blond's sake, he would at least attempt some interest.

Cid smiled cheekily as he chewed on a toothpick he had procured at some location. It was probably his means of satisfying his mouth's desire since he could not smoke since Vincent would not allow it.

"Better than being closed up on that airship," the pilot added.

Vincent only nodded in response as they continued to traverse the streets of Wutai. There weren't many residents out and about, but those they did see looked upon the eclectic pair with many assorted emotions: fear, interest, confusion, etc. The gunman could have sworn that last one was lust. Further, behind them, they were attracting a sizeable crowd of nosy children. He was certain that one in particular was tugging on his cloak every time a gust of wind would seize it.

It had done no good to tell them to leave or, as Cid so elegantly put it, "Scat, you little runts." It seemed the children were fascinated by both them and their weapons: Cid's gleaming spear and the glimpses of his own recently polished Winchester beneath his cloak. They also seemed strangely interested in the glowing balls of materia, plainly visible on each weapon and piece of armor.

One precocious female kept trying to grasp Vincent's hair, but he had sternly glared at her. Now, she kept her distance as well. He found it odd that they kept trying to touch him but stayed away from Cid. Was his blustery manner enough to scare them away? Would Vincent have to resort to crude language and a loud voice as well, especially since his glare of death was certainly not making them leave him alone?

"Ya ever thought about having kids one day?" Cid asked with a query that came out of absolutely nowhere.

Still, it was probably founded, considering that Vincent had just glared at another itinerant child of the pack that was following them. In turn, the blond grinned as he looked over at his companion.

Vincent frowned in consideration. Thirty years in a coffin and being infested with this demonic body, he had never really thought beyond the battle with Sephiroth. He had never really thought past killing Hojo in revenge. When his beloved Lucrecia had still there, had he considered children then?

Cid laughed, disturbing his thought process. When the gunman cut his crimson eyes towards his companion in question, the pilot just waved it away.

"I was trying to imagine you as a kid," he said with another laugh. "I kept picturing that you would probably be like Yuffie, especially since you're so quiet now."

"Highwind," the ex-Turk warned in a quiet tone. "I should think you know me better."

Cid shrugged. "Maybe. So, kids? I never really ever expected to have any, yanno? Figured I'd just spoil Shera's kids when her and… uh, you know, get together. I kind of like 'em myself."

He followed up this declaration with another round of "Scat, ya little runts; we don't want a fucking train behind us." They giggled and pretended to scatter, but when Cid turned his back, they slowly fell into line once more.

"I never really thought about it," Vincent responded with an internal sigh. He hadn't really considered anything of his future. At this point, he merely existed, not willing to forget about the past and completely uncertain of his future.

"Well, now's the perfect time to start, wouldn't you say?" the blond put in nonchalantly, his finger obviously twitching for a cigarette.

Vincent mused quietly on this. He wasn't really fond of children as they were loud, demanding, and required him to give far too much attention and a part of himself he wasn't sure he had. Then again, the thought of such unconditional love for someone made his heart warm. Children could be annoying, yes, but they were also honest in their own fashion. And they had big hearts.

A smile quirked at the corner of his lips at the thought.

"I suppose they aren't too bad, all things considered," he mused aloud as  
Cid grinned at him. His next thought was on what the pilot was probably like as a child. He had most likely always grinned with dreams of flying in the clouds and soaring to the stars.

It was at that moment that Vincent realized he and Cid knew nothing of each other. Much could be explained by the fact the gunman couldn't remember anything, but still, the questions hadn't been asked.

He furrowed his brow in puzzlement.

Lost in thought, Vincent almost missed something out of the corner of his eye. He recognized a dark-blue suit, black hair, and a person who appeared to be Reeve Tuesti being pulled into an alley. The former Turk frowned, trying to peer into the darkened corridor just across the street.

What was Reeve doing in Wutai, if indeed that was him?

However, he could discern nothing in the darkness. Two forms maybe, but he couldn't distinguish anything about them. Perhaps it was just his imagination.

"Hey, Vince, didn't ya need something in here?" Cid interrupted, jerking a thumb towards the weapons shop.

The query stopped Vincent's prior train of thought.

He had needed something. What was it again?

Oh, right.

The ex-Turk nodded. "Yes, ammunition for the Winchester," he replied.

With that decided, the two entered the weapons shop, their entourage of children remaining outside and pressing their noses to the glass of the window. Cid shook his head at their antics, while Vincent walked straight to the counter, completely ignoring them. In turn, the blond amused himself by inspecting the spear polish. It was too high-priced for his tastes. Then again, he could really use some.

"Welcome to Wutai's Wonderful Weapon Shop, good sirs!" the shopkeeper exclaimed with a bow, his bald head shining in the light of the store. "What can I help you with?"

Vincent reached for his gun, the gleam of his claw catching the merchant's eyes. They widened as the ex-Turk placed the Winchester on the counter.

"I need three boxes of the strongest ammunition for this," Vincent requested.

"That is some hand you have there, sir," the shopkeeper commented as he inspected the weapon. "Is it real?"

Vincent gritted his teeth at the reminder of his deformity. "I would assume so."

The Wutaiian man raised a brow, but noticing the storm gathering above  
Vincent's head, he wisely said nothing more. "I will be right back, sir," he explained before turning away and heading to the storeroom, leaving the Winchester on the counter.

"Did he have what you needed?" the pilot asked, suddenly appearing at the gunman's side.

Vincent nodded. "Yes, but I could have done without the inquisition." His voice was bitter as he spoke, immediately alerting Cid that all was not well.

The blond's eyes narrowed. "What'd he say? I'll wring his scrawny neck," Cid vowed, shaking his clenched fists to enunciate his point.

The corner of the gunman's lip quirked once more. "Have you become my knight, then? Ready to save my honor?" he questioned, half-turning to face the Captain.

It was quite amusing to watch Cid flush red and fluster about, trying to find the right sort of words. Before he could embarrass the blushing man further, the merchant came out, carrying two boxes.

"I could only find two boxes, but they are both the Mad Fury edition. Will that suffice, sir?" the shopkeeper questioned. He was momentarily taken aback by the intense glare issuing from Cid's sky-blue eyes. "I… I can order something stronger if you will be in town for a few days," the man stuttered, feeling a small amount of fear.

Vincent inspected the boxes before he nodded, rather satisfied. "No, these will do fine," the gunman responded, wondering why the merchant was suddenly stuttering. That was until he felt the anger radiating off Cid, which only seemed to make him smile slightly.

"How much?" he prompted.

"Sixteen… uh… thirteen thousand and five hundred Gil, sir" the shopkeeper said, visibly shaking under the never ceasing glare and anger that were radiating from Cid. He quickly changed the tune of his price under that stare as well.

Vincent counted out the money and placed it in the merchant's hand before grabbing the boxes. He exhaled slowly, squaring his shoulders as he stepped to the door. He wasn't really looking forward to being followed by the children once more.

"Tell me, Coupon," (1) Cid questioned after checking the man's nametag and leaning on the counter. "You have a back door to this place?"

The shopkeeper nodded, pointing to the door behind him. "It is through that door and out the other side, sir."

"Thank you," Cid intoned lazily. "C'mon, Vince, let's avoid those kids."

Vincent inclined his head, and the two moved for the back door, finally escaping the hordes of children. Nevertheless, the gunman did see Cid discreetly slip the trader some Gil to purchase those "little runts" some candy.

The man truly was a softie at heart.

The back door deposited them in a side street, the local inn just in sight. It was then that Vincent was reminded of the other reason that they had come to Wutai.

"I do believe you've promised me some hot springs," the ex-Turk commented.

Cid grinned so widely that the mostly chewed toothpick slid from his mouth and tumbled to the ground. "That I did," he said, eyes beginning to darken with the desire. It clearly involved the thought of a wet Vincent.

He jerked a thumb towards the inn. "C'mon, let's go."

---

The steam rising off the water wasn't enough to obscure their vision, but it was enough to add a slightly romantic air to the atmosphere. Cid had dished out enough Gil to get them a private room with private access since he knew Vincent would not want others to see his scars.

This, in turn, found the two of them naked and relaxing in the pleasantly hot water. Vincent appeared to be in deep thought as he sat waist high, clawed arm propped up on the side and eyes closed with his head tilted to the side. He had a thoughtful expression on his face and was occasionally nibbling on his lip in an unusual gesture.

On the other hand, the pilot was focused, trying to figure out exactly how he was going to seduce Vincent. He leered openly at pale skin, glistening wetly, and damp, water-slicked hair. Vincent was appropriately muscled for a gunman, still possessing some softer lines. Not an ounce of fat was present on him, and the flat discs of his nipples were just begging to be licked and sucked.

Cid found himself getting hard just staring at him.

The ex-Turk, of course, knew he was being leered at. He was wondering why Cid hadn't attacked him yet, which had also led to the realization that he was comfortable around the pilot. The blond was the only one who could make him feel… well, not necessarily alright, but more like himself. More like the person he should be, rather than what he was trying to be, if that even made sense.

Coming to Wutai had been a good idea. The hot springs felt good on his aching body and scars, and for a moment, the demons had quieted. All was good, it seemed, even if it was only temporary, and he was determined to take the minor break for what it was, a healing for his fractured sanity.

He felt the water swirl in the spring moments before warm lips pressed to his. In the same instant, an equally warm body settled onto his lap, and a hard cock poked him in the stomach, as if blaming him for its problem.

Vincent returned the languid kiss as he placed his flesh hand on Cid's hip. The pilot's ass was poised directly on his groin, the soft skin and warm heat causing him to stiffen with each passing second. One spear-calloused hand gripped his shoulder for balance, while the other began tracing a line of musculature.

A tongue slipped between the gunman's parted lips as Cid began to move sensuously against him, rubbing Vincent's cock along the cleft of his ass.  
The ex-Turk shuddered with the feeling, sliding his tongue along the blond's before exiting his mouth, only to nip and lick at the other man's neck. The Captain tilted his head back so Vincent could have better access, and the former Turk began to shift his hips slowly until the two were rocking together in an easy motion that drove Cid crazy with want.

"Ungh," he moaned as Vincent found a particularly erogenous zone on his neck. "Fuck me, Vin," he requested without hesitation, arousal already curling his belly into a tight coil, begging for release.

It was at this point that Vincent decided he was going to tease the pilot. He released his hold on Cid's hip and grasped his cock instead. However, the gunman was unwilling to completely submerge his claw, so he kept it propped up on the top. Meanwhile, he wrapped his fingers around Cid and stroked, sliding a thumb over the mushroomed head. He relished the sound of the blond's gasp as the blond bucked into the teasing touch.

Vincent continued to slide his own aching cock along Cid's cleft. "No," he denied. "You don't know my name," he added when Cid made a strangled sound of protest. He accentuated each word with a strong stroke on the pilot's shaft.

The pilot moaned in response, eyes fluttering open. "Awww, come on, Vince," he pleaded. "You never minded before."

The ex-Turk quirked an eyebrow as he held back, attempting to keep a solemn look on his face. "I think you've lost your memory, Highwind. I've always minded."

Cid made a face as Vincent stroked him again. "Ah… ungh… but, Vince, don't I have special… uh… privileges?" he gasped out, bucking forward into the touch that just wasn't quite enough.

The gunman shook his head, eyes darkening with lust and a hint of playfulness. "No, I don't play favorites."

Cid attempted to pout, but it was lost as a warm tongue curled around his ear, right along an erogenous zone. For a moment, he was faced with a dilemma, but a hard cock poised at his entrance just then, the head teasing the opening and going no further. Vincent continued to languidly stroke his shaft. It was all very maddening.

"Alright, Vincent," Cid finally conceded. "You win."

The gunman sighed playfully as he released Cid's cock, slipping his hand down until his index finger reached the puckered entrance. "I suppose that will have to suffice," he commented as he easily slid it in and added a second, curling the digits to stroke along the pilot's prostate.

Cid shuddered, nearly melting against him. His shaft jumped in response to the arousing touch.

Satisfied that he would not hurt the blond, Vincent pulled his hand back, and using the water as lube, he slowly pushed inside, his head slipping just past the entrance. Water wasn't as good as oil or lotion, but it was definitely better than nothing. Cid moaned as the thick shaft began to fill him, and Vincent relished slipping into the tight heat, even warmer than the water surrounding them.

Finally, he was fully ensheathed. He waited a moment for the pilot to adjust before he began rocking with slow, easy movements that rubbed directly along the other man's sensitive gland. In turn, Cid moaned, both hands now on Vincent's shoulders.

The gunman's hand wrapped around his cock once more, but this time, Cid was getting the stimulation he needed. He moaned loudly now, rocking his body on Vincent's cock and enjoying every minute of it. The water lapped at them pleasantly, the heat adding to the pleasure and causing their skin to flush deeper.

The fire in Cid's stomach curled, his cock leapt, and he gasped aloud, succumbing to the orgasm as he came. Vincent followed him over not a second later. Their bodies shuddered in unison as the ex-Turk pressed his lips to the blond's, absorbing his last moan.

Cid collapsed against him, heart pattering wildly and his breath erratic. Vincent was in no better shape.

After a moment, the blond grinned. "You fuckin' tease," he commented with a slight punch to the gunman's shoulder.

Vincent raised a brow as he gave another light squeeze to the pilot's half hard cock. "Who said I was teasing?"

Cid shook his head. "You never cease ta amaze me, Vin. Now, let's get out of the water; I'm turning pruny." He made a move to get up, but Vincent had a firm hand on his hip. "What?"

The gunman gave a negative shake to his head with a grim expression to his face. "I don't think so, Cid. It appears you haven't learned your lesson."

The Captain gaped at the devilish glint behind those crimson eyes. He knew he was certainly up for another round, and it appeared Vincent was as well. He wondered why the gunman was in such a good mood but figured he didn't really care so long as Vincent was happy.

Cid could already feel him hardening again, and he squirmed about playfully.

"I like Vince better," he commented with a half grin.

Vincent raised a brow. "Well, I'll just have to show you different, won't  
I?" he questioned.

Cid could only grin in response.

* * *

(1) A shout-out to my sister's boyfriend, who wanted a character named Coupon. 


	24. All in a Day's Work

**Chapter Twenty-Four: All in a Day's Work**

The Turtles Paradise was a favorite hangout of the Turks for many reasons, but mainly, it was because the alcohol was cheap and the owner easily intimidated. It was for this reason that no one bothered either Rude or Elena. It was a much needed break for them after Cloud and company had beaten their asses so many times. Some days, it just didn't pay to work for ShinRa, especially when they ordered you to lose in battle.

"You ever wonder why we keep doing this?" Elena questioned as she leaned on the counter, still nursing the same Mideelian red wine the bartender had poured for her three hours earlier.

Rude was silent behind his dark glasses as he downed another shot of the rich and dark Nibelheim whiskey. What was it all the good alcohol came from that Kamiforsaken town?

His lack of answer did not dissuade his associate in the least, however.

"I mean, we risk our lives everyday, not that the pay is that bad, and we're probably on the wrong side in all this. Our boss is laid up in a hospital, and our employer won't let us do a thing to heal him! He even all but forced us away from Tseng with this impromptu vacation, which isn't really much of a holiday since we had to take it!" she exclaimed in outrage.

When Rude did not reply, she turned to look at him.

"Are you even listening to me?"

Silence.

"Rude!!"

"It's just a job, Elena," the bald man commented. "Get used to it."

She sighed and slumped back in her chair. "Yeah, you're right," she mumbled. "You're always right," she added bitterly.

Rude raised a brow but didn't say anything further, instead signaling the bartender for another drink. It wasn't that he hated his job… or even liked it. Being a Turk was just a job, nothing more or nothing less. Besides, he faced his own dilemmas, such as being unable to be with the woman he cared about.

"Humph," Elena muttered. "It's like drinking with a brick wall. At least, Reno would be more entertaining." She sniffed at her drink, eyeing it cautiously before taking a sip. "Where's he anyway?"

Rude shrugged. "He said he had something important to take care of. Leave it alone, Elena."

The female Turk humphed but fell silent, taking a gulp of the sweet, red wine.

The bartender had not lied when she had said it was a good year.

The pair managed to sit in a companionable silence until the door to the Turtles Paradise flew open. A SOLDIER 3rd class stepped inside, scanning the establishment before setting eyes on the Turks at the bar. Two seconds later, he was standing behind them at full attention and barking out the message he had been given.

"Don Corneo's been sighted in Wutai, sirs," he commented. "Orders are to capture and contain."

Elena immediately jumped up from her seat, drink forgotten when she heard the news. Rude, however, remained seated. The blonde woman gaped at him for a moment before regaining her composure.

"C'mon, Rude, we have to go," she urged.

He shook his head, calmly downing another shot. Curse the $#&! mako that made alcohol useless except in the greatest of quantities.

"B- but, it's orders," she spluttered. "It's our job."

"No."

"But you said--"

"I'm on vacation, Elena," interrupted Rude. "Corneo is a weasel. We can always get him another time."

The woman was flabbergasted before she became indignant. "Fine," she huffed as she slapped some gil down on the table. "You can lose your job if you want; I don't care. I can handle this on my own."

With that final declaration, she stormed from the bar, the SOLDIER 3rd class on her heels.

Rude merely signaled the bartender for another shot and settled deeper into his chair. He was on vacation, after all.

- - -

"$#&! ninja," Cloud swore, beginning to sound an awful lot like Cid.

Yuffie had slipped from their grasp yet another time. They had searched Wutai high and low, from top to bottom, but still, they had been unable to locate the slippery thief.

At first, she had led them on a wild goose chase, playing hide and seek around all of Wutai, and her father had been of no help in locating her. Then, when they had finally caught up to her, the sneaky devil had trapped them in a cage and had disappeared.

At this point, Cloud had considered her life forfeit.

After chasing her across a continent and around the city of Wutai, Nanaki was inclined to agree.

There was only one place they had yet to check, the Turtles Paradise Bar. It was there that they headed next. In fact, it was the only place she could be. They had exhausted all other options.

And so it was with aggravation and annoyed heavy steps, they trudged to the bar.

As they walked, something caught the blond's eye. He turned his head to see, believing he caught a glimpse of crimson, red fabric. However, it was gone from his vision faster than he had noticed. That was one thing that confused the two of them. The crewmember on the Highwind had said that Cid and Vincent were in Wutai, but they hadn't run into either of them.

Upon first entering the Turtles Paradise, the one thing they immediately noticed was the singular Turk sitting at the bar. Cloud was surprised to find that Rude was by himself and wondered where the other two were. Immediately, his nerves went on edge, and he mentally prepared himself for a battle in case he and Nanaki got jumped from behind by Reno and Elena.

The blond wondered, for only the briefest of moments, why they had never had to fight Tseng. Knowing their luck, he was probably wicked strong and a nine on the Sephiroth scale of power.

Of course, it wasn't like that it mattered now, not since the Turk Commander was dead.

Nanaki exchanged glances with the blond swordsman before the two walked straight up to the bar, flanking Rude on either sides. A single sweep of the room had informed them that Yuffie was nowhere in sight. There was only the female bartender, two waitresses, and a handful of patrons, most of them looking to be tourists.

Regardless, perhaps the Turk knew where she could be found.

After all, it was common knowledge that Yuffie traveled with their eclectic crew, and Cloud wouldn't put it past the organization to hold the itinerant ninja in order to draw them out.

As such, Cloud and Nanaki pulled up a barstool, Rude barely sparing them a glance. The blond raised a finger to get the bartender's attention as he turned to face the bald man.

Rude just slammed back a shot and signaled for another.

"Where is she?" the ex-SOLDIER questioned, cutting right to the point.

Rude raised a brow. "I don't know what you are talking about," the bald man responded.

Cloud scoffed. "I think you do."

The bartender showed up just then with another shot in his hand for the Turk and a question on her face as she glanced at Cloud.

"A Gongagan scotch twist," he said automatically, too focused on Rude to really care.

The woman nodded in understanding before disappearing to create the drink.

The demi-human rolled his eyes and tried another approach. "Our companion, the ninja Yuffie, is missing. Have you seen her?"

"I'm on vacation," the bald man muttered. "Why don't you go bother someone else?"

"This is getting us nowhere," the swordsman mumbled as he took the alcohol that the bartender had just brought him and gulped it down in one swig. "Kami forbid, I ever get my hands on that thief," he muttered under his breath with a sigh and tapped his hand on the table.

Just then, someone's PHS rang. A strong and steady beat. Iron Man.

Both AVALANCHE members raised their eyebrows as Rude calmly shifted in his seat, pulling the phone out of his pocket and flipping the device open. He placed the receiver near his ear.

"Rude, here."

There was a crackle of static before a recognizable voice came through the noise. "Rude? Look, I know you're own vacation and everything, but I really think--"

The dark-skinned man sighed. "Elena, you said you could handle it."

"Yes, but--" Her voice was cut off.

The sound of a struggle could be heard through the receiver. The phone bumped and crashed for a moment as noises of yelling and muffled cursing could be heard. Then, it righted itself, another voice speaking into the PHS.

"Whoo hoo! Lookee here! I got me two chicks now! And one's a Turk. Now, which one will be my bride?" came the familiar high-pitched, leering tone of Don Corneo.

In the background, a male yelped and cursed as the sound of a scuffle became apparent again.

"Touch me again, and I'll rip your $#&! hands off, bastard!" a voice, which sounded suspiciously like Elena's, screamed.

It was followed by another female one. "Ya damn bastards! Get yer stinkin' paws off me! I ain't marryin' no fat slob! The great ninja Yuffie won't stand for this!"

Nanaki's eyes widened in surprise. "And there would be our missing thief," he commented.

"Whoo hoo! Too bad for you!" Don Corneo cackled as the line went dead in Rude's hands, leaving an annoying dial tone behind that was far easier on the ears than Corneo's high-pitched whine.

Rude looked to his PHS in disgust before quickly hitting another number for speed dial. He calmly tapped a finger on the table as he considered ordering another shot before he went to rescue the rookie. If only he could reach his partner, but the phone was only ringing and ringing… as he had figured it would.

For a man whose subordinate had just been kidnapped, he was acting surprisingly stoic.

Meanwhile, Nanaki and Cloud exchanged glances, wondering where it was that Don Corneo could possibly be.

He was, after all, holding all their materia in his grasp, even if he didn't know it. It wasn't that they minded if he married Yuffie… well, perhaps Nanaki did, but they did want their materia back. They needed it to defeat Sephiroth.

Yuffie was an unfortunate but necessary sacrifice.

"We've got to find Corneo before he makes off with our only link to the materia," Cloud stated with a firm grip on his sword.

The demi-human nodded before his eyes narrowed in thought. "And yet, where?" he inquired, the two of them simply talking over Rude, as if he weren't even there. "We have searched everywhere in this tourist town."

It was then that the bald man sighed, clapping his phone shut and slipping the device into his pocket. He slowly rose to his feet, throwing a few Gil down onto the table.

"I think I might know," he said stoically, "and since I cannot reach Reno, I have drafted you two into a truce." A ghost of a smile crossed his face. "Well, then, let's go."

Cloud's jaw gaped in amazement. "You did what?"

Nanaki chuckled. "I believe that is the most words I ever heard you say. A truce?" He rubbed his chin. "I believe that will suffice, so long as we do not have to worry about fighting the Turks during the search for our missing ninja."

"Wait a minute!" the swordsman declared, holding up a hand. "How is it that you know where they are?" he demanded, sliding down from the barstool and looking up at the taller man.

Rude sighed, gazing down at Cloud over the top of his glasses. "I have always known that Corneo has been hiding in Wutai. Did you think that just because Reno is the second and not me that I don't know what is going on?"

It was Nanaki's turn for his jaw to drop. "That one is the second? But you're so much… smarter!"

A smirk quirked at the corner of Rude's mouth. "You don't give him enough credit." He chuckled to himself. "Are we going or not? Corneo is a slippery bastard."

The blond eyed him cautiously before sticking out a hand as if to shake. However, the Turk merely gazed at him, and he slowly lowered it.

"Fine," Cloud responded coldly. "But after this, I'm kicking your ass!"

Rude simply inclined his head. "If you wish."

---

The incessant ringing of Reno's phone was stoically ignored as he pushed his older lover to the bed, already having divested him of most of his clothing. They didn't really have time for anything slow, drawn out, and loving, but he would do the best he could.

Their lips pressed together violently, hungrily as they tried to instill their passion and feelings as best they could. They wanted enough to last them until the next stolen moment.

As sad as it was, that was all they could have together.

Reno's hands ran over Reeve, pulling off clothing and tossing it this way and that. A white shirt hit a lamp as a tie tangled around a coat hanger way off to the side, and his briefs were quickly shucked off and thrown aside, too.

The executive was no less busy as he pushed his tongue into his younger lover's mouth and swirled about. He simply wanted to remind himself of what it felt like to kiss Reno.

Luckily for him, Reno was a fast undresser and was already naked.

Their bare skin rubbed together, sparking shocks of electric arousal that had much to do with the neediness of the situation. Their bodies reacted with the return of someone long gone, as if nothing had changed.

Reno attacked his love's neck with his mouth, licking and nipping but not enough to leave marks. He saved those for the attention he paid further south, pulling up a large hickey on the man's collarbone. As Reeve moaned under the attention, his body unconsciously undulating against the man above him, Reno gasped and lightly bit down on the tender flesh. His teeth made an imprint in Reeve's skin, not that the older man seemed to notice.

The executive was completely unperturbed, only making a louder groan. Nevertheless, his hand slipped between their bodies, grabbing the younger man's cock and stroking firmly.

In response, the Turk's lips wrapped around a nipple and pulled, swirling his tongue around the hardened flesh.

Another hand stroked along the redhead's back, short nails dragging along the skin. It was a hand that was once smooth with white-collar work, now calloused from many battles.

One of Reno's free hands worked its way upwards, tangling in black hair. He pulled a head back so that he could reach the tender skin of Reeve's neck, swirling his tongue around a particularly erogenous spot.

Reeve gasped and shifted his hips upward, rubbing his aching arousal along the skin of his lover. He left a stream of precum behind in his wake.

"Missed you," the Turk whispered against Reeve's flesh as his tongue continued to leave a trail of hot and wet licks in his wake. "Missed this."

"Mmm," Reeve moaned. "Worried for you." His thumb scraped over a leaking head, eliciting a passion filled groan from Reno's mouth.

The Turk's free hand groped about in the covers for the oil he was sure he had thrown somewhere amongst the now rumpled sheet. He ghosted his teeth over an abdomen beginning to harden with earlier unseen musculature and bit into a still present bit of flesh on the executive's side.

Reeve was unable to keep his hold on Reno's cock because of his movements and reluctantly released him. Instead, he tangled his hand in red hair, running his fingers through the slightly spiky locks.

"I can take care of… myself," the Turk muttered moments before he lapped at a bead of precum on the executive's penis. His tongue traced the contours of the hardened flesh before he took in the entire shaft in one gulp.

Reeve gasped and had to consciously hold back from thrusting upwards into the warm mouth before he choked the Turk. He knew Reno could handle it, but still, he refrained from doing so. He didn't want any bad memories to crop up.

A hand clutched at the rumpling covers as the redhead finally found the bottle he had been searching for. With triumph, he uncapped the stuff one-handed and poured some into a free hand, finally having let go of Reeve's own hair a while back.

As he swirled the hardened flesh of the executive around in his mouth, easily taking the entire shaft into his throat, he coated two fingers in the oil. Reeve knew what was coming, his legs shifting so that Reno could reach between them. One slickened finger pressed to a puckered entrance, meeting some hindrance.

It had been quite some time.

The executive moaned as the digit slowly slipped past the resisting muscle, moving in and out in a thrusting fashion to slowly prepare him for something much larger. He pushed down on the intrusion, signaling that he was ready for more.

Reno added another finger at the same time that he pulled back his mouth to lave his tongue around the executive's swollen head. The resulting noises that Reeve made were very encouraging. As the Turk scissored his fingers to stretch the puckered flesh, he felt hands tangling in his hair, rubbing his scalp in a move that literally made him melt.

It was a highly guarded secret that Reno loved to have his head massaged, among other things. It made him feel boneless and cared for… and damn if Reeve hadn't found out that little tidbit of information. He could literally feel the stress and worry that had been creeping up on him fade away.

Reeve brushed red bangs out of Reno's face as the Turk lifted his head, fingers still inside him, and slowly moved back upwards. He dotted sensual nibbles along the way, dragging his teeth over bared and sweat-slicked skin, and the redhead carefully added a third finger. Reeve shifted faintly with the barely present feeling of discomfort, but that all faded away when Reno curled his fingers, brushing with intention against the spot that made his lover see stars.

He gasped, but the sound was absorbed by Reno's mouth as their lips pressed together in another hungry kiss. Reeve sucked the questing tongue as he sinuously rubbed his body against the one above him, muscles clenching around the fingers on purpose, as if reminding him of what was to come. Just the feel of the gripping heat was enough to make Reno moan.

Finally, he felt that Reeve was sufficiently prepared. As he continued to kiss the other man, he groped about for the oil. He found the bottle tucked under the edge of Reeve's hip and removed it with triumph, pouring the slippery liquid into his hand before he slicked it over his aching cock. He nibbled on Reeve's lip as he tossed the oil in some random direction and positioned himself. He propped himself up on his arms as he faced Reeve, amber meeting aquamarine.

"I know you can," Reeve responded, referring to the Turk's last statement, "but that doesn't mean I can't worry." He brushed a hand over his lover's cheek, eyes very bright.

The look on Reno's face was serious, something unusual for him. "Let's just find our way out of all this alive, eh?" He leaned into the caress. "Please," he added with a hoarse whisper.

Something flickered across the executive's face, an emotion that passed so quickly Reno did not recognize it. Still, before he could even ask, Reeve had grasped his head pulling him down for another kiss as he moved impatiently at the cock poised just at his entrance.

The Turk understood his meaning quite clearly.

Without further ado, he slowly began to press inside. He met some resistance at first as he knew he would, but Reno continued on, finally slipping past that first ring of muscle. From then on, it was as if he were swallowed by the gripping heat until he was completely ensheathed, tight walls clenching around him and sending sparks of arousal along his spine. Reeve gasped against his mouth as he began to move, slight rocking motions aimed more at pleasuring the other man than himself.

Legs wrapped around his waist, changing the angle of his movements as Reeve moved with him. One hand clutched at his shoulder as the other remained on the back of his head, pushing their mouths together. It seemed that Reeve couldn't get enough of kissing his lover, trying to memorize his taste and the feel of his lips.

However, Reeve was quickly becoming impatient with the slow and loving shift of Reno's hips. He was ready for the man to move. As such, he made a noise in the back of his throat, a requesting whimper as he pushed down on the intrusion, tightening his hold on Reno's shoulder.

The Turk interpreted all of this correctly as he slowly withdrew from the executive's entrance before thrusting back in again, building a motion that rubbed along his prostate. Reeve moaned in appreciation and moved with him, shifting downward to meet every thrust. He broke away from the lengthy kiss, moving his lips to Reno's neck. There, he returned earlier favors, grazing his teeth and tongue over the sweat-sheened flesh.

Reno moaned as tingles spread through his skin. His body heated with arousal, and he increased the pace of his thrusts, knowing that was what Reeve wanted. The executive showed his appreciation by dragging his mouth lower, wrapping his lips upon the bare skin of a collarbone and biting down hard enough to leave a faint imprint in the Turk's skin.

That was another one of those secrets Reeve had discovered about his lover, but very few others knew. Reno had a biting fetish: to be bitten, to bite, either way it aroused him. The Turk shuddered as Reeve's teeth caressed his flesh, his cock swelling to even larger proportions inside his lover, if that were at all possible.

The older man tilted his head, mouth trailing lower. He sank his teeth into the flesh just above the Turk's hardened nipple before flicking the tip of his tongue over the nubbed flesh. Reno moaned, shifting down to his elbow and making Reeve pull back and return his attentions to the his neck. The redhead reached between their bodies and grasped the executive's aching shaft, which was straining for attention. He began to stroke it deftly.

The dark-haired male arched into the touch, His toes curled, and his body trembled with every pass of Reno's cock over his prostate. His entire form thrummed with the pleasure, and even the Turk seemed lost to the feeling. He was thrusting with abandon now, his every inch tensing,

All at once, it became too much, and Reeve lost all control. His back arched as his hand scrabbled at Reno's back. His mouth opened, letting out a savage moan, and he came with a deep shudder. An incoherent jumble of words tumbled out after the first breathy sound when he attempted to clamp his clenching muscles down on the Turk's cock.

That was all it took.

Reno bent down and absorbed his older lover in a passionate kiss as he came, spilling himself inside Reeve with a muffled groan. He collapsed on top of him, breath coming in quick gasps and body still trembling, and Reeve clung to him as they tried to calm their erratic heartbeats. They shared another kiss, a much slower one, before the redhead rolled over so that he wasn't crushing Reeve beneath his weight. The executive turned, wrapping an arm around his sweat-slicked lover and nuzzling affectionately into the younger man's neck. Reno grinned, playfully patting the dark-haired man on the head much like he would a child.

"You've made me sticky, old man," he teased.

Reeve raised a brow, dragging his teeth over the soft skin just below Reno's jaw line. "Old man?" he questioned. "I do believe this is entirely your fault," he replied, taking a hand and trailing it down the pale flesh.

The redhead laughed as he turned his head to kiss his older lover once more. "That just means we're gonna have to take a shower, yo." He moaned when the executive's hand dipped lower, trailing through auburn curls and caressing his half-hard flesh. "We still have time."

"Umm hmm," Reeve replied already distracted as he ran his tongue around the shell of Reno's ear. He rubbed his body, wakening once more, along the side of Reno's. There was something about the Turk that always had him ready.

He curled his fingers around the rapidly hardening flesh, stroking the Turk with languid, easy movements. Reno made a whimpering sound in the back of his throat as he began to shift his hips into the executive's grasp. Reeve smirked before running his tongue over the bared throat and nibbling gently.

"We're never going to… ah… make it to the… uhhh." Reno paused, moaning as Reeve increased the pressure of his hand, rubbing a thumb over the leaking head. "Shower… if you keep… mmm."

Any protest died as Reeve flung a leg over his younger lover's hardening shaft, rubbing against the outside of the Turk's thigh.

"If I keep what?" Reeve murmured, sliding his knee up and down.

Their skin slid together as he increased the pace, rhythmically pumping the Turk into a frenzy. Reno moaned and reached out with his hand, pulling the executive in for a kiss. He brushed his lips over Reeve's jaw before tracing the contours with his tongue. Then, he delved into the sweet cavern. The executive made a noise of appreciation in the back of his throat before he swung his leg completely over Reno's body, releasing his fully erect shaft in the same moment.

He perched himself over the Turk's body and sank down onto the willing flesh, relishing the familiar feeling of being filled once more. He pulled back from the kiss as he started to raise and lower his body, the Turk's hands automatically going to his hips to balance him. The younger man moaned and pumped upwards, thrusting into the still warm and slick cavern.

Reeve took his own aching hardness into his hand and began to pump, pulling his lip between his teeth. It was a reaction that Reno found most arousing, and he took one hand off the executive's hip and wrapped it around both Reeve's hand and his cock, helping him to stroke.

Despite the fact that he had just orgasmed a few minutes ago, the redhead could feel another creeping up on him. Reeve's ministrations and then subsequent decision to just jump him was a major turn on. To see his lover moving on top of him like that, tanned skin slick with sweat and face furrowed in concentration, made his skin thrum.

Reeve gasped as a hot fire began to creep up the back of his spine, his shaft leaking copious amounts of precum over both Reno's and his combined hands. He could feel aquamarine eyes trailing over his body, and it made him shudder with arousal.

It was Reno who shuddered with pleasure first, his hips pumping into the executive's with one vicious thrust as his body wracked, and he came for the second time that day. A bottom lip was dragged sexily between teeth as Reeve cried out, quickly following his younger lover over. The creamy, white fluid spilled out onto their combined hands, splashing onto Reno's bare stomach.

Reeve leaned forward on Reno's body, gasping as he tried to regain his breath. His entire body thrummed with the after effects of his orgasm.

Reno wrapped his hands around his older lover, running them up and down his back before settling them on his hips.

"I wonder what ever happened to that shower," the Turk murmured, pressing a kiss to the nearest bit of Reeve's flesh.

"Mnh." The older man merely made a tired noise, not really responding or anything.

Reno chuckled as he ran his hands down and cupped Reeve's buttocks, squeezing the shapely flesh with his fingers. The other man made a noise and a half-snoring sound, as if he had fallen asleep. The Turk sniggered before giving a great heave, turning their bodies over and pulling the executive towards him so that they spooned together.

"We really don't have much time," Reeve admitted with a sigh.

"I know," Reno responded, "but we have enough. "

He left it at that.

* * *


	25. To Catch a Thief

**Chapter Twenty-Five: To Catch a Thief**

Dong!

The sound of the bell echoed around the temple area of Wutai. It was a low, throbbing sound but still somewhat mellifluous. Even more amazing was the sound of a door popping open somewhere nearby.

Rude smirked, laying the padded stick back down as he led the surprised Cloud and Nanaki down the steps and around the side of the building. There, the previously locked door was standing open six inches, as if inviting them inside.

"How did you know that?" the blond questioned as Rude pulled the heavy steel open.

It creaked quietly in protest, digging a furrow into the sandy ground.

The Turk eyed him impassively. "I told you. ShinRa already knew Don Corneo was here."

With that, the three went inside, closing the door behind them. They found themselves standing at the top of a short set of stairs. It wasn't exactly dark, the dim light of flickering torches enough to guide their way, and the distinct sound of muffled female voices and inane cackling reverberated around them.

Rude slowly moved in front, unconsciously tightening his gloves as he led his temporary allies into Corneo's hiding room. In the shadows of the entrance way, they beheld their captive companions, who were struggling violently. Corneo was laughing like he found it all very amusing.

Cloud was the first to rush forward, Crystal Sword drawn. "Corneo! Its time you paid for dumping us in the sewer!" he declared angrily.

Immediately, all attention was drawn his way.

Corneo grinned maliciously. "Well, if it isn't the blond in blue! Didja miss me that much?"

The swordsman reddened and flustered at the reminder of his one foray into cross dressing, all for Tifa's sake of course. The treacherous bitch.

Rude shot him a strange look as the demi-human half-grinned. Nanaki remembered Aeris recounting that particular event to them as they stopped for a rest at the Chocobo Farm.

The captive females began wriggling about as they saw that their rescuers had come. Whatever they were yelling was muffled by the gags, however.

Cloud spluttered for another few moments before Nanaki chuckled and took over. "Return to us the materia thief Yuffie."

Don Corneo did a little twirl on one foot, a miracle considering his size, and his fat arms jiggled. "Let me think about it… Hmm, no!" he exclaimed. "Guards! Get them!"

With that, he waddled to the far exit, two of his lackeys carrying the captured women. Their protesting squeals left a trail of noise in his wake.

Immediately, a band of low class thugs, perhaps seven in all, attacked them. Rude sprang into action, gloved fist slamming into the face of his first unfortunate foe. The man's nose exploded in a spray of blood as his head snapped backwards, and the Turk quickly knocked the man's legs out from under him, throwing him to the ground.

Cloud blocked a round of gunfire with the blade of his sword as Nanaki streaked by him in a blur of orange and red, metal claw flashing in the torchlight. Two thugs were slashed down before they knew what hit them; that was how fast the demi-human had gotten. His new body seemed even stronger than the original.

The ex-SOLDIER slashed angrily at the woman who had shot at him, slicing through the weapon with ease. The female thug's eyes widened in surprise as she twisted her body to avoid a wild slash before being back-handed across the face. The thugess yelped and went flying, landing on the ground with a thud.

The swordsman turned to face another other opponent but found the man already reeling from a double-blow courtesy of Rude. Yet, the Turk couldn't see the one sneaking up behind him, and Cloud lashed out with his sword, easily dispatching the brute.

The click of a trigger was the only warning the two men received before a splatter of gunfire came their direction. Cloud quickly twisted this body, bringing up the flat of his blade to block the bullets as Nanaki flashed past, claw slicing through the automatic weapon. One shot made it past his defense, slicing into the flesh of his upper right arm. It burned, and he felt blood dripping down his skin. However, he dealt with the pain, while Nanaki knocked out the last thug.

"Dammit," Cloud cursed, staring at the blood streaming from his arm.

Thankfully, the bullet had only grazed his flesh rather than gotten lodged inside. That would have required something more powerful than the potion that Nanaki had just tossed him, and the blond sheathed his sword as he quickly poured the swirling, purplish liquid over his wound and chugged the rest.

"He can't have gotten far," the demi-human commented, idly tightening his claw as he shook off the remnants of cloth and blood.

They were born killers… all of them.

"Let's go."

Cloud and Rude nodded in agreement as they stepped over their fallen enemies. They treaded up a set of stairs and out a door, emerging to their surprise from a secret passageway in the home of Lord Godo. There, four additional thugs were waiting for them, all armed with automatic weapons, and the trio instantly dove for cover, Cloud and Rude to one side with Nanaki to the other.

Bullets flew through the air, tearing up the wall behind them.

With an impatient and irritated growl, Nanaki snapped one of the fangs dangling from his hair. He threw it out at the four men, smiling with satisfaction when it exploded into an Ice3 attack, immediately freezing them into place. The fang bead was actually an Ice Crystal, though his foes had not known that.

Cloud gave a thumbs up to his companion before the three jumped to their feet and ran out of Godo's house. They scanned the streets, hoping to find some trace of Don Corneo, but the lecher's distractions had granted him what he needed, time to escape.

"He's gone," Rude commented unnecessarily.

"Dammit!" Cloud cursed again, sounding more and more like Cid with each passing moment… or perhaps it was Barret who was rubbing off on him. Either way, he was pissed. He slammed his fist into the side of Lord Godo's home.

"There goes our materia again!"

When Rude raised a brow in question, it was up to the demi-human to explain as the blond was still seething.

"Yuffie stole our materia," Nanaki explained. "We've been chasing her for hours."

When Rude nodded in understanding, the familiar strains of his PHS filled the air. He slipped his hand into his pocket, pulling out his phone. He didn't even have to speak before the person on the other side began talking.

"Please explain to me why I just saw Don Corneo scampering off towards the Dao-Chao Mountains with two female captives, one of which was Elena, yo." The words were carefully spoken and seemed to come from someone barely restraining his anger. The voice was easily recognized as belonging to Reno, though any sense of authority was lost with the addition of "yo."

Cloud and Nanaki could just imagine an eyebrow twitching on the other end.

"I've got it under control," Rude responded in his normally stoic manner.

"Dammit, Rude!" came the spluttered response. "I only needed a few hours! We're on vacation! The boss'll have my head if something happens to the rookie!"

The bald Turk shifted where he stood, patient even through the yelling. He idly adjusted his sunglasses with the tip of a leather-clad finger as he listened to his best friend and, unfortunately, slight superior.

Cloud and Nanaki watched with mouths agape, never hearing such authority, or even intelligence, from the red-haired Turk's mouth before.

"As I said," Rude repeated, "the situation is well within my control."

"It'd better be," came the threat. "Because if it's not and I have to leave, I swear to Kami that I'll--"

There was the sound of scuffling as his voice went silent. Low murmured speaking could be heard in the background, though they couldn't distinguish voices or words before Reno came back on the line, decidedly calmer.

"Just get her back before both our asses get fired," Reno finished wearily.

A smile quirked at the corner of Rude's mouth. "Will do. And tell the 'boss' I said hello."

When Reno spluttered in response, the bald Turk just calmly ended the call. He of course, had known where Reno was the entire time, and he knew how much it meant to the redhead that he have this moment. So the bald man didn't mind teaming up with the "enemy" so his friends could have a few minutes. After all, Reno had covered his ass on many an occasion when he had taken impromptu trips to Rocket Town.

Rude slipped the PHS back into his pocket and sighed before noticing that both Nanaki and Cloud were giving him vague looks of disbelief. He raised a brow at them, wondering that their issue was.

"What?" he questioned.

"He actually sounded… authoritative," Cloud said slowly.

Nanaki shook his head. "I never knew that Reno could be like that. Makes me wonder why you guys always lose to us."

Rude narrowed his eyes, though they couldn't see it behind the dark glasses. He waved a hand of dismissal at the two.

"Don't make me regret helping you find your thief. We have to get to Dao-Chao before Don Corneo up and disappears again," he put in coldly.

"Right," agreed Cloud. "Let's get going."

---

Warm… drifting… mashed potatoes… and cheese?

Yes, that was what he was eating before he decided to take a nap. And such a good nap it was, too. He had dreamed of happier days, when Dyne was still alive and Corel hadn't been destroyed. With his head pillowed on the softest of down, he had slept peacefully.

Wait a minute. Pillowed… on down?

Barret jerked awake with a start, the magical sleep finally wearing off. He lifted his head from his pillow, and he found out to his surprise that he was not in his room but in fact asleep with his head in his dinner. A dinner he had not finished.

Brown eyes widened in surprise and then anger. A string of curses issued from his mouth as he angrily scrubbed at his face, pulling cheesy strings from his beard. At just an off gesture, he glanced down at his arm and then did a double take.

All of his materia was missing. Every last shining orb.

Barret jumped to his feet, more obscenities pouring from his mouth as he stormed from the common room, leaving his unfinished meal behind him. He glared this way and that, searching for the thief that had magicked him and taken his materia. He knew there could only be one culprit, only one person sneaky enough and conniving enough to do such a thing. That damned, whatever the hell she thought she was, ninja.

He angrily trod into the bridge, eyes narrowing when they caught sight of only one crewmember in the entire vicinity. A thin man, slightly balding with a magazine and a propped up pose.

With a snarl, Barret stomped his way. "Where is she?" he growled.

The crewman raised a brow behind his tabloid. "Who?" he asked simply without bothering to look up.

Either he was a fool or just really brave. He had not been fazed once in the entire crazy day.

"Yuffie!" snapped Barret angrily. "That short &$# always rolfing about everywhere."

The crew member sighed. "Like I told the boss earlier, I don't know where anyone is. The Captain and the quiet guy took off towards Wutai. I assume the boss and that guy with the tail took off towards there also."

Barret curled a fist. Like hell he was walking to Wutai. He was no fool.

Muttering to himself, the dark-skinned man turned and stormed from the bridge. His stomach was growling at him, considering he had slept in his dinner rather than eaten it. He would wait until Cloud returned and wring his scrawny, little, spiky head for ever considering bringing that thieving ninja along.

And in the bridge, the crewmember sighed and shook his head. The Captain sure hung out with a strange sort of people.

He shifted his position, recrossing his legs before delving back into the magazine once more.

---

"You fat lazy slob!" Yuffie screeched, wriggling angrily against the restraints that held her. "You put me down this minute, or you'll be sorry!!"

"Oooh, feisty," Don Corneo said lustily as he twirled on one foot. He stood on one of the many massive hands of the Dao-Chao Mountains, and his captives were tied up, hanging to the eyes of the face directly in front of him. Don Corneo checked them over carefully, trying to decide which would make the better bride.

He was accompanied by two of his thugs, who were reclining lazily on the ground, idly picking at the carved rock of the middle finger. They were bored silly but paid enough to be so. They didn't mind very much. Their boss was an idiot, to be sure but a rich one at that.

"When my partners find me," Elena muttered angrily. She had given up on straining against the thick rope that bound her and had resorted to furious threats. Her anger was hiding the shame she felt for being caught by such a loser.

"You'll learn true fear of the Turks, Corneo!" she finished haughtily.

Don Corneo sniffed but didn't even seem alarmed by her words. He darted between the two of them, a gleeful expression on his face.

"I think I'll choose--" He paused before doing a little twirl on one foot and pointing. "The blonde!" he screeched with a cackle. He put one hand on his chin in thought. "I've always had a thing for them," he recalled, remembering a particular blond in blue that hadn't really been a girl at all.

Elena paled, suddenly struggling with more vigor. Inwardly, she was cursing Rude and Reno for taking so damn long. Not to mention that she was deathly afraid that somehow Don Corneo would be able to touch her, and he was not an attractive sort at all, the lazy slob. Besides, she preferred dark-headed men… and on top of that just men with hair in general.

"Corneo!" came a voice from out of nowhere. "You'll be marrying no one this day!"

All eyes directed towards the only entrance to their little platform, immediately falling on Cloud, Rude, and Nanaki.

Don Corneo spluttered with anger as his lackeys struggled to rise, scrambling about for their weapons. "You!" he whined unattractively. "You're always ruining my fun! Guards! Get them!" he ordered with glee, another twirl, and a point towards the three attackers.

However, the two lackeys had already decided that they weren't paid enough to have to face both the huge shining sword and a Turk. Both guns clattered to the ground as they darted past their former employer and ran for their lives. They didn't even dare look Cloud and the others in the eye as they passed.

"Release our friends," Nanaki demanded coldly as Rude tightened his glove with a definitive sound and Cloud lowered his sword in an offensive stance.

Corneo flubbered about angrily as he stomped his foot. "I don't think so," he defied. "Rapps, come here!!" he hollered.

At first, the companions were nonplussed, seeing nothing emerge. Then, the sound of something squawking and the beat of wings caused them to look upwards. A beast was descending upon them, finally settling down between the trio and the cackling Corneo.

The beast was like a dragon with huge wings and only a small hint of back legs, thin and gangly with green scales and orangish webbing. The creature, who they assumed was named Rapps, squawked irritably as it hovered. Its rows of sharp teeth glinted in the sunlight with each guttural growl, and Rapps seemed intent on fighting them, as its master had beckoned.

"Mwaha ha huh ha!" Don Corneo cackled again with a little dance and jiggle of his hips, which turned the stomachs of all present. "My little Rapps is gonna destroy you. Rapps, ATTACK!"

The creature cawed before diving in, massive pointed tail heading straight for its nearest target, the Turk Rude. However, Cloud intercepted, blocking the attack with the flat of his blade as Nanaki bounded past quicker than lightning. The demi-human gave a massive leap with his legs as the blond maintained his defense, and Nanaki landed on the creature's back, hanging on fiercely as the monster tried to shake the intruding attacker off.

Meanwhile, Rude was not one to stand idly by. He decided that they could handle the beast as he taught Don Corneo some manners Turk style. Except the moment that he darted past Rapps, heading for its master, the beast decided that it had had enough.

Rapps gave a strong heave of its wings and body, knocking Nanaki loose and slapping Cloud across the legs with his tail, throwing both men a good distance away. Its tail swung about, finally wrapping about Rude's abdomen and pulling him backwards, throwing him onto the pile of limbs that was Cloud and Nanaki.

All three males landed with cries of pain, their limbs entangled together.

Cloud worked himself free, forehead twitching. "That's it!" he snarled, stomping up the path and scooping up his sword along the way. "Now, I'm pissed!"

His body began to glow a limit break red, and his sword took on a mako-blue hue. As Nanaki and Rude sought to detangle themselves, Cloud threw himself at Rapps, raising his sword up swiftly. He took a great leap, slashing at the enemy as he did so, the power radiating from the weapon sliding along the creature's scales and seeking an entrance.

"Climhazzard!" he hissed loudly.

The blade bit into Rapps skin, tearing through the webbing and cartilage of one wing and causing blood to splatter on the ground. The monster howled in pain and whipped its tail out as Cloud landed, a smug expression on his face.

Nanaki and Rude had detangled themselves and stood there, backing him up and trying to figure a plan of action.

Nevertheless, Rapps wasted no time in retaliating. With a furious flap of its working wing, a great wind built up. The beast twirled into a tornado before it thrust the coil of quickened air at its attackers.

It struck Cloud first with him having no way to avoid it. The tornado ripped its way through the air, the swordsman taking the brunt as he was thrown backwards. As the blond made contact with stone, the furious winds whipping their way across his skin and attempting to tear into him, the demi-human growled and leapt at the beast.

His claw flashed in the sunlight.

Rapps was still struggling to stay in the air after its last assault, and it was further hampered by a damaged wing. Its reactions were too slow for the extremely fast Nanaki. As such, the demi-human sliced his way through the creature's other wing, just as Rude barreled past him, slamming a gloved fist into the monster's soft underbelly.

The howl of pain caught in Rapps' throat as it crumpled, blood leaking from two torn and bruised wings. It doubled over, tongue lolling out of its mouth from the force of the Turk's strike, his fist not unlike the feeling of being punched with a boulder or being hit with a cannon ball.

The bald man merely inclined his head, pulling back to give a slight tug on his glove. Nanaki shook his claw in disgust as Don Corneo wailed in the background.

Still, the battle was not yet won.

Rapps had some strength still in it. With a vigor borne of its final moments, the monster lashed out with its tail, striking the dark-skinned Turk in the shoulder before he could even block. The beast drilled through with the pointed tip until it came out the other side. Rude gasped in surprise, grabbing onto the tail with his hands and attempting to pull it out, but Rapps continued to press, as if determined to take another life with him.

A sword flashed in the air moments before it could do so, Cloud bursting out of nowhere, fury etched into his features. The Crystal Sword came down, easily slicing through the tail and detaching it from Rapps body even as Nanaki finished the beast with a killing blow. There was a cry of death, and then, the monster's body stilled. Rude pulled the tail from his shoulder with disgust, now holding on to the bleeding part of his body with the other arm.

Nanaki tossed him a potion, but at least a Cure 2 and probably a Heal would be needed to repair the seriously damaged internal musculature. The Turk swayed where he stood, trying his best to ignore the pain that was shooting through him.

"Rapps!!" Don Corneo screeched in horror as the monster's dying breaths faded. "What have you done to my baby?" His eyes welled with tears.

None of the real men looked impressed.

"Hand them over, Corneo!" demanded the demi-human, not at all pleased. He was tired of chasing Yuffie around, and Don Corneo's voice was grating on his nerves.

The Don's face hardened suddenly, going from whiny to vengeful in the span of a few seconds. "You killed my Rapps," he uttered in a low tone. His hand delved into his pockets, pulling out a small device, barely bigger than his hand. "So I'll just have to kill your friends."

He pressed a button on the remote, and with a squeal, the two girls turned until they were upside down. They slid a few inches down the face of the cliff.

Yuffie began struggling with her bindings even more, releasing a string of expletives.

Elena simply took a deep but shaky breath, even as her fingers carefully worked at the knot tying her hands together. However, anger boiled beneath the calm surface. She just knew that she should have taken her migraine medication this morning.

"Get us down!" the two cried in unison.

Corneo laughed maniacally and performed a little twirl. "Move one more step, and I'll drop them!" he threatened with a cackle as he moved in a jig, holding the device in the air.

Nanaki and Cloud contained worried glances, while Rude didn't make any sort of comment or move. He was too concerned with his aching arm, blood dripping through his fingers, a pained expression on his face. They weren't sure how to handle the situation. Corneo was a loose cannon.

Suddenly, a gunshot pierced the stillness. A bullet struck the device in Corneo's hand, sending it careening over the edge of the cliff.

All eyes turned towards its originating direction, surprised to find Vincent and Cid standing on a jutting, stony hand. The pilot had his arms crossed over his chest, and the gunman was slowly returning his Winchester to its holster.

The former Turk's eyebrow twitched. "It is not what you are doing," he commented in explanation as he narrowed his crimson eyes at Corneo, low voice carrying easily to them, "so much as the idiotic way you are doing it."

Beside him, Cid laughed aloud, reaching for a cigarette before a stern glare from Vincent had him sighing and putting his hand back down.

The Don went white as he began to understand his predicament. His eyes searched for a way out, realizing he had no choice but to retreat. However, the swordsman and his duo were blocking the only obvious direction… unless he went over the side, and he paled further at the idea. Then again, the thought of being in Turk custody was even worse.

"Well, then," he stuttered, inching towards the cliff. "It… uh… looks like you've won. Heh."

Cloud and Nanaki exchanged glances. Corneo was acting stranger than usual, and both somehow expected another attack to come as the fat man stammered on endlessly.

"So… uh, I think its time I left," the balding man continued, beady eyes darting back and forth as he inched away.

Yet, before could even try to leap over the edge, a shadow fell across him. Corneo looked up, eyes wide and mouth agape, as a person toppled onto him from above. The two crashed into the ground, limbs entangled. Everyone knew at a glance that the laughing, red-haired mess was none other than Reno.

Cuffs were pulled out and slapped around the unconscious Don's wrists before anyone could say anything. Reno grinned, rising to his feet as he dusted off his hands. It was amazing how many had gathered to recover the lost Yuffie and Elena.

"Get me down, you late bastards!" the blonde Turk screamed, jerking madly on her bindings. She didn't seem to notice that she was hanging upside down.

Yuffie, meanwhile, had calmed down, realizing that she was in an unfortunate situation.

The ones chasing her had finally caught up. She would be forced to return what she had stolen, and she only hoped that they wouldn't beat her into a senseless pulp.

Quickly, the ninja began to form a plan, wondering if they would believe her.

Reno chuckled, half-turning with a cocky flip of his hair and a shrug of his shoulders. "Why am I not surprised?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow, unused Electro Rod tapping against his shoulder. "A rookie mistake." He shook his head teasingly.

Vincent and Cid began to make their way to their friends as everyone began to come together, wondering the best possible way to get the two women down.

"Don't worry," Rude commented with a slight wince. His shoulder was killing him, but there was no way he was going to show weakness to AVALANCHE. "We will take care of Corneo."

The blood was beginning to rush to Elena's head, so it made her testier than usual. She started to make a loud protestation again when suddenly Nanaki made a great leap, clinging to the face of the cliff with one hand as he grabbed her and sliced through the bonds with the other. With another fantastic jump, he landed back on the ground, depositing the blonde safely upon it. Yuffie, he left hanging… on Cloud's orders, of course.

"What I don't understand is you how guys showed up at exactly the right moment," the swordsman questioned with a raised eyebrow when Vincent and Cid strode in his direction, the pilot looking very cocky indeed.

"Was in a shop looking over some plane parts," answered the Captain. "When vampy here saw Corneo rushing past with a screaming Yuffie." He gestured with a thumb towards the gunman.

"We thought it prudent that we follow… after Cid argued with the man over the price, of course," the gunman added in.

Before anyone could further comment, the blonde Turk spoke up. She shot a somewhat angry glance at her red-haired companion as they worked to heal their bald friend, Rude hissing obscenities under his breath.

"What was up with the super-hero act?" she questioned scathingly, still embarrassed by all that had occurred and therefore taking it out on her favorite target. Of course, a severe case of PMS didn't help much either. "Trying to pretend to be something you're not?"

But instead of responding in a teasing fashion, as Reno normally would, he narrowed his aquamarine eyes at her. A dangerous look crossed his face, and his features hardened as he finished applying the Cure 3 and subsequent Heal to Rude's shoulder. The redhead turned towards his fellow Turk, and she remarkably fell silent at the look on his face.

"If you had been acting in accordance with Turk regs, we would have never had to rescue you in the first place," Reno commented in a low voice. "Those were rookie mistakes, Elena; mistakes you know better than to make." He was using that tone again, the authoritative tone that the members of AVALANCHE had heard echoing through Rude's phone.

The female Turk lowered her gaze, instantly flushing under that piercing stare. Any biting comment that she had built up faded, and she once again felt like a trainee on her first day. Reno said nothing more, but it didn't seem like it was needed.

And then, the sound of a PHS ended the somewhat tense moment. The ridiculous sound could belong to none other than Reno, and with a relaxing of his features, the redhead sighed and turned away from Elena, digging into his pockets to pull out the PHS as the members of AVALANCHE watched with interest without making it seem they were eavesdropping.

Poor Yuffie was left hanging.

"Reno, here," the Turk answered swiftly, turning his back on his fellows and squaring his shoulders. Almost immediately, they tensed up at the sound of the voice, Heideigger's horsy laughter echoing.

"AVALANCHE has been sighted in Wutai," the ShinRa executive stated. "Orders are to kill on sight. Mwa ha ha!"

Reno twitched but merely nodded his head. "Affirmative," he replied before closing the phone with a click.

The members of AVALANCHE tensed for a fight, all of them able to hear Heidegger's loud orders. If it was a fight the Turks wanted, then they were going to have it rough.

However, the redhead merely shrugged and continued up the path, waving for Rude and Elena to follow him.

Cid, ever the tactless one and insanely curious, yelled to their retreating forms, "Hey! Aren't you going to fight us?" he demanded.

"What do I care?" Reno questioned snottily. "I'm on vacation."

Besides, if ShinRa was going to force them to take a vacation then he was going to bloody well enjoy every minute of it. He stuck Elena with dragging the heavy unconscious body of Don Corneo as a form of punishment as the three Turks began to make their way down the trail.

With a shake of his head and a grin quirking at the corner of his lips, Cloud sheathed his sword and crossed his arms over his chest. Now, they could devote their entire attentions to their thieving friend. The four AVALANCHE members turned to face Yuffie, hard looks on every face, though Cid and Vincent didn't truly know what was going on.

The ninja paled and gulped loudly.

"Uh…" she began meekly. "I'm sorry?" It came out more as a question than a statement.

A slight and rather hesitant smile tried to fight its way to the surface, but the storm behind mako blue eyes killed it violently.

She was in big trouble.

* * *


	26. Pagoda Persuasions

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Pagoda Persuasions**

"There's a really good explanation for it," she tried. "Honest." Her words were accompanied by a little squirm as she fought against the bonds, but the lackeys had tied them tighter than her skills would allow.

Cid sighed as his eyes narrowed. "What'd the brat do?" he questioned.

Cloud raised an eyebrow. "What the hell d'ya think? She stole our $#&! materia!" For all that he sounded like the pilot himself, it apparently worked as Yuffie had enough in her to blush slightly.

"Well, see…" But her words trailed off.

Vincent crossed his arms over his chest, narrowing crimson eyes at the normally exuberant ninja. It was still bemusing to see her hanging upside down, the blood rushing to her head. However, the ex-Turk was not at all amused, and he wasn't even the one struck over the head with a random implement.

Yuffie gulped under the penetrating stare and wriggled about again. Her head was starting to hurt, and she wondered if her plan was even going to get by the gunman's scrutiny. Of them all, he was the most perceptive, probably his training and years of insight. If anyone could see through her, Vincent would be the one to do it.

"What is it?" the former Turk inquired in a very toneless voice.

All ears strained forward to hear.

"Well, see," she began again.

It was time to put on her best act. She fought down a giggle.

With a sigh, Yuffie lowered her head slightly and tried to look ashamed. "There are many reasons, but one is because Wutai needs it. After the war, we were devastated…"

And so she continued to weave a tale of desperation and sorrow, of the Wutaiians who couldn't make a living and were forbidden from having materia, of the pain her father had gone through and how she had suffered. It would have pierced the heart of any person, young or old, that was how skillfully she wove her words of melancholy.

The only problem was… none of AVALANCHE seemed impressed and certainly not the angrier and angrier looking Cloud.

She noticed this, bright child that she was, and quickly ended the tale, only to start a new one.

"And so I really need them… and not just for Wutai but for me, too!" she exclaimed. "My father wanted me to work through the Pagoda this year, but I needed materia to make sure I didn't lose. I don't want to lose on my first time through; it's important! I was going to give it back!"

Their looks of disbelief matched across the board. It was truly a sight to behold.

She spluttered and tried again, but no one was listening. They were tired of her lies and her actions, ready to just get their materia and get the hell out of Wutai.

"Where's the materia?" Cloud demanded, his voice brooking no argument.

"But I need it," the ninja whined, still managing to have some fight left in her.

"This is the last chance you have!" Cid proclaimed with a growl.

The ninja squirmed, chewed her lip, and generally had the air of indecision. Obviously, she didn't want to give up her materia, but they all looked pretty mad. She didn't think they would kill her, but then again, there were worse consequences than death.

She slumped against the wall in defeat.

"Fine," Yuffie muttered. "I'll take you to it. I've been hiding it in my house all along."

Cloud nodded before gesturing towards Nanaki. "Okay, you can cut her down now."

The girl breathed a sigh of relief as the demi-human bounded towards her. She was really beginning to get a headache.

Everyone else watched with wariness, thinking at any moment she might renege on their deal, not that she blamed them but still.

"I'm sorry," she said softly as his sharp claw sliced through the bonds.

Nanaki blinked at her. "Apologizing to me personally?" he asked. "If I remember correctly, you left the Earth on purpose, didn't you?"

She blushed softly as she spluttered indignantly. "No!" the ninja denied. "I just forgot it; that's all!"

The demi-human chuckled and shook his head. With another great push of his legs, the two were safely on the ground. Yuffie stumbled a bit from the feeling of being completely upright, but otherwise, she maintained her ground. The girl put a hand to her head and groaned but wasn't allowed a moment's rest as everyone eyed her, arms crossed over their chests.

"Well?" Cloud demanded impatiently.

Yuffie put on her best dejected face and sighed as she kicked at the ground. Her hands remained bound, and Nanaki had confiscated her weapons, the ones he could see anyways. All in all, she looked the part of a very defeated teenager.

"I'll take you to them," she said with a hearty sigh. Her shoulders sagged.

Cloud nodded. "Good. Let's go. And no funny business, you hear?" It was the only warning he was going to allow her.

With that said, the entire group began to trudge back down the mountain. Luckily, they hadn't had to climb that far up, so the trip down was going to be rather short.

Still, Nanaki couldn't help but wonder why Don Corneo ran off to the Dao-Chao Mountains in the first place. It wasn't as if was a good location to hide at, the mountains being anything but inconspicuous.

Did he think they weren't going to be able to find him? And what was the purpose in tying the girls to the face anyways?

Don Corneo had to be about the worst villain Nanaki had ever encountered. The man had no style, no evil laugh, no…

A dejected sigh pulled him from his internal musings.

Golden eyes looked to find Yuffie walking beside him with a mournful pout. Her steps dragged, and she sniffed softly, as if unable to hold back her tears. Nanaki couldn't decide whether she was putting on a show or if she was truly that upset. Either way, he was hard pressed to find himself still angry at her. Regardless, he attempted to block out the pathetic noise by returning to his musings.

Ahead of him, Cid also heard the pitiful sound and had to fight down the urge to say something mean. Instead, he grabbed a cigarette, shot an equally dark glare at the Vincent and lit the tobacco. After taking a deep drag of the much needed and much missed nicotine, he had to keep up appearances after all, he cleared his throat and raised a brow.

"So, Spike, whatcha gonna do with her after we get back the materia?" the pilot asked, inhaling deeply. He pretended that there wasn't an ex-assassin glaring daggers into his back. He was a grown ass man; he could have a cigarette whenever he damn well pleased!

The other blond shrugged off-handedly, his mind off in another world. "Don't really know. As much as I want to, I can't see us beating the crap out of her."

There was a loud and very pitiful sniffle, which both men ignored.

"You gonna let her stay with us?" Cid asked, a bit disbelievingly. A cigarette bounced from his lips, the red and orange-embered tip moving up and down and momentarily distracting the still somewhat lost Cloud.

He blinked owlishly before shaking his head. "Now that you mention it," the swordsman answered slowly, forming his words so that he did not say something stupid. "We could just leave her in Wutai."

Yuffie gasped in shock as she heard those words. "B-but Cloud!" She both whined and stuttered. "You can't! I want to fight Sephiroth!"

"Should've thought of that before you stole our materia," Cid muttered under his breath with a snort. Never mind that he still had his materia, and it was actually Cloud and Nanaki's materia that had gotten taken.

Well, and Barret's… and maybe Reeve's, but the pilot wasn't sure about that one.

A cough came next, following his, and he struggled to keep it in so that he wouldn't have to hear another lecture about the dangers of smoking. His face turned red with the effort, and he seemed pained, but at least, he wasn't coughing… much.

"B-but…" The girl was still protesting.

She didn't want to get left behind in Wutai. She had adventures to go on, materia to st-… find, a bad ass Sephiroth to beat up. Plus, her father was still mad at her for some reason. If she stayed, Yuffie would have to learn how to be a proper lady of all things.

Her cries went unheard, however. Vincent sent her a glare, causing her to promptly shut up, and the downward trek fell into blissful silence. Cid happily puffed away on another cigarette. The gunman frowned in eternal broody thought. Cloud's brow furrowed as he contemplated some new mystery, and Nanaki was idly picking at his claw, removing dirt and grime from the weapon.

Sniffle. Sniffle.

Cloud's eyebrow twitched, but he said nothing. He was convinced it was all an act of Yuffie's so she could keep their materia… or something like that. At least, he hoped he was right; otherwise, he would feel like a jerk… a real insensitive asshole.

A bit like Cid. Or Vincent.

Sniffle. Sniffle. Whimper. Sniffle.

Cid rolled his eyes and puffed on his cigarette. He had no sympathies for the klepto ninja.

Next to him, Vincent didn't even seem to notice. He was frowning slightly, brow furrowed in deep musings.

Cloud's eyebrow twitched again.

"Now, I'll never get through the pagoda," the girl whined, schooling her face into its most pitiful expression.

By Cloud's twitch and Nanaki's increasingly sympathetic looks, her plan was working. The ninja sniffed again, sneaking a peek at the swordsman, whose fists were beginning to clench and unclench.

"I was only going to borrow it," she murmured again, very quiet on the edge of a whisper, as if speaking only to herself.

Of course, everyone heard her.

She filled her voice with regret and sorrow as her shoulders slumped more. The town was beginning to fill her sight, and her time was running out.

Sniffle. Sniffle. Hiccup.

Okay, that one wasn't in the plan, but it worked, nevertheless.

"Dammit, Yuffie," Cloud growled, though he refused to turn around. "You stole our materia and knocked us over the head with a rock--"

"Driftwood," the ninja interrupted quietly.

"--driftwood, whatever," he continued on a rant, throwing up his arms. "Your crying is not going to work on me."

Yuffie wailed then, knowing she had him in the palms of her hands. She had to fight down the sneaky grin and scrunched her face into a near crying expression.

"Cloud!" the girl whined. "Now, my father will hate me more! I'll be the weakest ninja in Wutai cause I can't beat the pagoda! I'll be shamed forever!"

Sniffle.

Her lower lip began to quiver as she brought up her bound hands in a pleading gesture.

Their leader sighed and knocked his hand against his forehead in frustration. They were beginning to walk through the town, and now, everyone was regarding them with funny looks. Some were even shying away, as if they were monsters or worse… part of ShinRa. The fact that one of their own was in bonds and on the verge of tears did not help matters.

Some days, it just didn't pay to be the leader of AVALANCHE.

"For fuck's sake!" Cid growled as he flicked his cigarette to the ground and stomped it out. "Just let the damn brat come with us again. We can always throw her off the airship later if we want."

He sounded absolutely serious, too, and Yuffie paled immediately from just the thought entering the pilot's mind.

She put a hopeful look on her face. "The last thing I want to do is get thrown from an airship; I'll be good," she promised.

And she meant it, the first part at any rate. Well, she could be good; she just didn't say how well she would behave.

Inwardly, the ninja snickered.

Cloud rubbed his forehead as his shoulders sagged. "Fine. You can come with us."

"And the pagoda?" the girl questioned with very wide and hopeful eyes.

The four males exchanged glances, but it was Nanaki who answered.

"I think if we come along and watch her closely, only loaning out materia when needed, we should be able to handle the pagoda." He looked at Cloud, questioning their leader with just a look.

The swordsman nodded with a loud sigh. "Know what? I don't care anymore. Let's just get our $#&! materia, get her through the damn _pagoda_," he stated, practically sneering the last word and sounding a great deal like Barret, "and then, we'll get the $# outta this town."

The others were in hearty agreement.

- - -

Reeve crept quietly through the door to the airship's cargo room, paper bag crinkling quietly in one hand as eager ears listened for the sounds of anything approaching. He was on alert, hoping no one would catch him in the act. He didn't want anyone to know he had been in Wutai, the very reason he had recruited Imsin's help. In his hand, he carried the man's prize for being such a good sport. Reeve had gone to great pains to collect it, after all.

Once Reno realized that his friend and fellow Turk was in trouble, the two had been forced to go their separate ways, though with much regret. They had shared a few parting kisses before the redhead had headed off towards Dao-Chao, and Reeve had stopped by the luxury chocolates shop, paying an exorbitant sum for something that looked positively revolting. However, it had been a request, and he wasn't going to be the one to eat it. With that done, the executive had made his way back to the Highwind, now in the process of delivering the "delicacy'" and going back to his room to pretend he had been there all along.

Expensive shoes slid over the plain tiled floor as Reeve crept inside, peering around before making his way to the far side. Unfortunately, he never quite made it.

"Gotcha now, ya little thief!" a voice boomed around the darkened cargo bay.

Moments later, a large weight crashed into Reeve, knocking him to the ground. The paper sack fell from his hands only to skitter a few feet away. Meaty fingers wrapped around the executive's neck and squeezed.

Reeve choked and spluttered as he recognized the voice and face of one Barret Wallace, who was hovering over him with some sort of strange white and orangish mixture stuck in his beard. He had no time to ponder this as he was currently choking, however, and he struggled to get the larger man off of him.

"Mrph… lrgsh… uff… stupish… baitlsyt!" Reeve wheezed, unable to get out a true syllable with huge hands wrapped around his neck.

It took a moment for everything to register in Barret's revenge-driven mind, especially the fact that the body beneath him was too large to be Yuffie. Plus, there was a deep voice and the feeling of a beard on the chin that scraped at his hands.

"Oops," the dark-skinned man muttered, laughing as he released Reeve and moved back. "Sorry… thought ya was that damn $# Yuffie."

Reeve rubbed his throat as he glared at Barret, coughing faintly. "How could you even begin to confuse us?" he questioned, throat not surprisingly sore.

The gun-armed man opened his mouth to reply. However, he came to a sudden realization and narrowed his eyes, attempting to cross his arms over his chest. He pinned a gaze on the executive, who was not the least bit intimated.

"Wait a minute," Barret said. "Why were ya outside anyways, Mr. ShinRa?"

Reeve hrmph'ed. "I wanted some fresh air _outside_ of this airship. Besides, what's it matter to you?" he answered back before picking himself up from the floor and looking for the package he had just been carrying. Luckily, he found the small paper sack a few feet away, sitting unassumingly on the floor.

"What's that on your face?" the executive asked after a beat, hoping to distract the other man.

It worked, and Barret began to stammer and bluster as he angrily swiped at his beard, trying to remove the evidence of having slept in his dinner. His eyes narrowed further in anger.

"That's not important!" he responded. "What's in the bag?"

"None of your business," Reeve snapped. "I'm going to my room." With that said he pushed past the larger man and headed for the interior of the ship.

The other man blustered for all of a few seconds before giving him a threat. "I've got my eye on you ShinRa boy," he said in an attempt at intimidation.

Reeve merely waved a hand of dismissal and kept going. The executive decided that had Barret merely threatened him because he had nothing better to say. After all, everyone knew that if he stepped anywhere close to ShinRa, they would kill him… or at least, attempt to. He wouldn't make it easy for them; that was for #$ sure.

He wondered what would happen at the end of it all between Reno and him. There was no way Reeve could return to ShinRa or Midgar, and he didn't even know if the Turk would ever consider quitting his job, not that Reeve had one to turn to either.

Those last moments in Wutai, however, were something he would always keep close to him. For all intents and purposes, they may have been the last the two would ever have together.

Reeve didn't usually like to think in such negative ways, but it was time he started preparing for the worst. After all, AVALANCHE was not out on a kiddie mission; they were trying to destroy the greatest SOLDIER that had ever lived.

To say that casualties were expected was an understatement of epic proportions.

The executive made his way down the hallways of the silent airship, wondering why it was so quiet to begin with. He had only asked Imsin to make sure the airship didn't leave without him and to tell no one he had left. But from all accounts, the Highwind was deserted. He internally pondered this fact, while he kept an eye out for any other AVALANCHE members. Barret would have been suspicious no matter what he had said, but many of the others trusted him.

Reeve wanted to keep it that way.

On that note, he idly wondered how Cloud and Nanaki had fared in Deep Man's Cave. He had seen Don Corneo carrying Yuffie, as well as Elena, and had been confused as to how that had happened. He had been doubly so when he considered the fact that the girl was supposed to be with Cloud and Nanaki, spelunking in a cave. Reeve had the feeling that it was the fault of the ninja more than anything else. The executive also had the sneaky suspicion that she and Nanaki knew something about Reno that they weren't telling.

The two teenagers were remarkably perceptive.

Reeve shook his head to clear his thoughts, realizing he was dangerously close to brooding like Vincent, and he found himself standing outside the bridge. Apparently, he had thought himself down the entire length of the Highwind.

With a glance to the paper sack in his hand, now slightly rumpled, Reeve pushed open the door and entered.

Like the rest of the airship, the bridge was deserted, except for one lone crewmember. He was a thin, slightly balding man and was propped up in a chair with a tabloid magazine that seemed to captivate all his interest. The crewman looked up at his entrance, a toothy smile appearing on his face.

"Mr. Tuesti," the thin man said as he brought down his legs so that he was sitting upright. "You're back earlier than I expected."

Reeve merely nodded. "Circumstances forced my hand." He held out the paper sack, shaking it. "I hope this is correct," he stated as he handed it to Imsin.

A big grin appeared on the crewmember's face as he tilted the bag over and dumped the contents into his lap. A rather large object, roughly the size of one of Barret's meaty fists plopped out. It was shaped like a sitting, praying Dao-Chao and seemed to be made entirely of chocolate. It was a heavy thing, being that it was not hollow.

Imsin promptly broke off one of the gesturing arms and bit into it. From that, Reeve could see that it was filled with a thick, creamy reddish liquid. After all, he had requested a dark-chocolate, raspberry-filled Dao-Chao, and that was all Imsin had wanted in repayment for keeping Reeve's secret. The executive hadn't thought it was a high price to pay at the time, except when he had bought the thing and realized it cost as much as a new set of throwing knives!

"Boss came looking for you," the crewmember mumbled around a mouthful of chocolate.

Reeve raised a brow. "Cloud?"

Imsin nodded as he continued to consume the obviously sweet and sugary treat.

Reeve was a fan of chocolate himself, but seeing at the thing, he didn't think he could ever consume that much on his own. Just looking at it made his stomach hurt.

"Told 'im I hadn't seen ya."

"Thank you," Reeve replied. "I'm going to go back to my room and pretend I was there the entire time."

Imsin didn't bother to say anything as he began to eat the chocolate with one hand and read the magazine with the other. He waved in a sort of dismissal at the executive before returning to his entertainment.

A smile quirked at the corner of Reeve's lips before he turned from the bridge and headed to his room. Perhaps he could catch a short nap before Cloud and the others got back.

---

Yuffie had gotten stronger since she began traveling with AVALANCHE. As such, she sped easily through the first four battles. She defeated Gorki, Shake, and Staniv without using the materia that Cloud had loaned her. Chekhov had given her a little trouble, her Stare Down attack paralyzing the girl on many occasions, but nevertheless, Yuffie had succeeded. The teenager hadn't even needed to use Cure because she had gotten so strong.

Her companions were not very surprised. With the circumstances that surrounded them, they all were getting more and more powerful.

Cloud was just glad that Yuffie seemed to be true to her word. She appeared to be serious about defeating the pagoda. A fierce determination had taken over her features, and though she taunted her opponents and made cat calls, she was actually trying to succeed. He was surprised by the slight bit of maturity he had caught in her.

But now, she faced the master of the tower, which just happened to be her father.

For this battle, she had requested a variety of materia from them, including Nanaki's Earth and Enemy Skills. She wanted the high level Cure, not to mention mid-level Barrier and Time with Haste learned. She had borrowed Cid's Counterattack after a few minutes of pleading, and Vincent had even deigned to loan her his Added Effect and Poison combination. All of this made her a fearsome opponent, but Godo was no easy opponent either.

There was a reason he was the lord of the pagoda. He had three stages of battle, all with their own unique attacks, weaknesses and strengths. He was strong and fast, intelligent to a fault and determined to not go easy on his only child and heir.

The four males along with the other pagoda people watched in silence and perhaps a bit fascination as Yuffie and Godo bowed to each other before getting into attack positions. A gong sounded, followed by three sharp raps of wooden sticks, and a great cymbal announced the beginning of the battle.

A smirk on Godo's face was the only warning the observers saw before he dashed towards Yuffie at a speed that, though not as fast as Nanaki, rivaled his daughter's own. There was a flash of magic as the girl quickly cast Regen and Haste on herself before darting to the side, tossing out one of her origami darts.

Godo had suspected this and twisted away, the dart tearing off part of his robes but not harming him. He stopped his rush, dug his feet into the ground, and offensively ran at Yuffie again, but this time, she was prepared. She held her stance and waited for him to come, shuriken at the ready.

One of his hands curled into a fist, and suddenly, a sword made of pure energy came from his hand, an attack he had named the Beast Sword. Lightning crackled around the room, drawing towards the pair as they began to duel. Sword met shuriken in a fantastic display of quick moves, which the observers could barely distinguish one from the other. The two ninjas were incredibly strong and agile as they flitted and fought their way around the small arena.

Suddenly, Yuffie pushed back and brought her father off balance. With another vicious swing she threw him backwards, his feet sliding against the floor.

But Godo was not fazed in the slightest. He ground down to stop before swinging an unweaponed hand in an arc. More lightning crackled before a triangle-shaped mass of energy came from nowhere, descending down upon his daughter.

The girl had only seconds to react, barely casting a Barrier around herself before the lightning struck. Yuffie gritted her teeth against the pain as her hair stood on end. Her hands burned where she refused to let go of her weapon, and she forced her eyes to remain open, knowing her father would attack the moment the Trine faded. She could feel the magic of the Regen battling against the constant damage of the lightning and wondered which would come out in the end.

At least, her borrowed Enemy Skills materia would now have a new spell.

After what seemed like hours, but was only a few minor seconds, the lightning dispersed out of nowhere. Godo threw himself into the battle, Beast Sword swinging. Yuffie was prepared for this, drawing out one of her throwing knives and blocking the spiritual-like sword with it. She then slashed at her father with her poison-effected shuriken.

The sharp blade bit through the cloth of his shoulder and seared into his skin, instantly poisoning him and therefore causing his speed and stamina to decrease. Godo, like his daughter, merely gritted his teeth against the pain, and he used his greater strength to overcome her small dagger. He pushed against the blade, knocking her off balance and into a far wall.

She struck with a faint cry of pain, her head knocking against the wooden slats.

Godo made a strange motion with his hand, and three orbs of shining blue tore themselves from Yuffie's body only to merge with his own. All at once, the little ninja felt weaker than before. Her own father had used Drain on her in order to steal her will and strength. Well, if he was going to play dirty then so was she.

With a fierce growl, Yuffie threw her shuriken at her father, knowing he would easily block it. In the meantime, she took his moment of distraction to cast Slow, one of his true weaknesses, and Godo's body became sluggish, his limbs not responding to his every command as quickly as usual. Along with the poison, his movements were now severely hampered.

He staggered for a moment, trying to gain some time by casting a poison of his own. Bio 2 struck his daughter with the pain of an acid. It hurt, but she was protected against it by the Ribbon she had "borrowed" from Reeve a few days earlier. He would most definitely want it back when he realized it was gone, but his momentary loss was her gain.

The teenager jumped into the air, retrieving her shuriken before immediately rushing at Godo, determined to end the difficult and draining battle quickly. She was tired already, having gone through four previous fights. Her breath was coming in short gasps, and sweat pulled at her forehead, but she had to win. There was no way she was going to deal with a loss.

Her body glowed a brilliant red as her determination kicked in. Her limit break had struck her in the same moment that she attacked her father.

"Doom of the Living!" she hissed as her body became super fast.

She slashed at her father before darting away and back in again, a series of successive attacks that he could neither block nor avoid. She was simply too fast, nearly disappearing every time she moved. Of course, that was only to reappear at his side and slice at him with her shuriken. A purplish light began to glow around the two of them as she struck several more times until he could do nothing but fall to his knees and gasp for air.

With a pant, her limit break ended, and Yuffie skidded to a stop, managing to remain on her feet by sheer willpower alone. The last attack had drained nearly all of her energy, and she panted as she leaned over, hands balanced on her knees.

Godo was sweating profusely, sucking in huge breaths as he bled from multiple wounds. Nothing was life-threatening, but with the poison and other such things, it was rather painful.

Nevertheless, Yuffie had won.

"Ah, my child," said Godo with a gasp. "You have made me proud."

The ninja beamed at this, even as she bowed to her father with the very next second. The other four: Chekhov, Shake, Gorki, and Staniv, rushed to her father's side, and they quickly casting Heal and Cure on the pair until both were back in tip top shape.

"You have completed the tower," Shake intoned with a nod of his head.

"You have honored your country and your family," added in Gorki with a bow.

"You have honored yourself and your teachers," Chekhov put in.

"And for this, we have presented you with gifts," Staniv said.

As one, the four pagoda patrons bowed as Godo rose to his feet, limping as he came towards his daughter. One hand disappeared into his robe before coming out with a small scroll of paper. He handed it to his daughter.

"You already have the Leviathan materia, our highest summon," he said with a gracious nod of his head. "And this is the secret technique of our family, the All Creation attack. It will destroy nearly any foe. Study it. Learn it. Practice it. And make us proud."

Yuffie smiled and then put a serious look on her face as she slipped the gifts into her pocket. She bowed deeply at the waist.

"Thank you, father," the girl murmured.

"Alright, brat," interrupted the tactless Cid. "Can we go now?"

Yuffie and Godo shared glances before she giggled and turned around. "Yes! I'm ready. Let's go."

She flounced past them, moving towards the door before she felt a firm hand grasp her arm and drag her to a halt. The ninja looked over her shoulder to find the four males staring at her expectantly.

"What?" she asked innocently.

Four hands thrust in her direction, their meaning clear. She sighed and unhitched all of the materia that she had borrowed, returning them with much regret.

"You guys're no fun," she mumbled under her breath.

"After making this trip a waste of time." Cid paused before grinning mischievously. "Well, perhaps not a complete waste."

"Highwind," Vincent growled warningly.

"Right," Cloud answered nodding. "Let's go. We have to get to the submarine and get back on the track to finding the key, whatever the hell it is, in a dark place… wherever the hell that is."

"Yes," Nanaki agreed. "And another thing, too."

The swordsman raised an eyebrow. "What?"

But it was Yuffie who wrinkled her nose and answered, "Take a bath. Both of you stink. You been rolling around in the mud or something?"

Cloud's eyebrow twitching was the only warning the itinerant ninja received before he leapt at her, hands aiming for her throat, murder in his eyes. The funny thing was that it didn't seem that any of the remaining men seemed inclined to stop him.

---

A few hours later, everyone was aboard the airship as it took off towards where they had last left the submarine. Yuffie was bandaged up nicely as was Cid.

The poor pilot had been attacked by Barret when they had all entered the cargo hold. The gun-armed man had been aiming for Yuffie yet again and had missed. But after two mistakes, Barret thought it might be better to look before he leapt from then on.

Reeve was found in his room, lying on his bed, fast asleep.

Cloud wanted to know where he had been, but the executive merely shrugged because he had been in his room the entire time. Of course, this came after remarking that Cloud needed to take a bath.

Cid finally handed back over the keys to the crew, and the Highwind was able to take off as Vincent disappeared into some random dark corner to continue his broody thoughts.

Cloud and Nanaki both headed for their respective rooms to at last wash away the mildew and grime.

All of the crew was grateful for this.

As a result, Yuffie was left to her own devices, staring out the large window in the bridge. Nevertheless, the girl couldn't resist taking a peek at the small scroll her father had given her. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the paper, unrolling it before scanning it quickly. The last line made her giggle and look around mischievously before putting it back in her pocket. She would save that technique for later.

_…P.S.  
And don't forget… when it's all over, get their materia!!_

* * *


	27. Journey Through the Deep

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Journey through the Deep**

Being underwater was an entirely different experience than anything Nanaki had ever done before. It wasn't unpleasant or frightening, just disorientating. He wasn't sure how Reeve managed to navigate within the dark deep, especially since the demi-human couldn't seem to tell up from down.

And the many fish swimming around weren't helping either.

Yuffie, predictably, was stuck between having the time of her life and being consumed by motion sickness, and Nanaki had spent a great portion of his time rubbing her back soothingly. The girl had barely managed to gurgle a thanks before abruptly returning to her pathetic moaning.

Reeve was being both strangely quiet and slightly distracted as he eased them through the bottom of the ocean, and Nanaki couldn't help but wonder what had happened to the former executive when they had been at Wutai.

A soft beep echoed through the submarine as something blipped on one of the screens.

Nanaki pointed at it. "Uh, is that a good sign or a bad one?" he questioned, somewhat concerned.

Amber eyes flickered to the screen. "Neither," he replied. "Or more accurately, I can't say it yet. Whatever it is… it isn't moving." He paused before pressing a button on the control panel, causing the submarine to move in the direction that Nanaki assumed to be downwards. "We might as well check it out though."

The demi-human gulped. "Isn't that a little… risky?" he ventured.

"Depends on what it is. We won't know until we poke around."

While Reeve had a valid point, Nanaki wasn't all too keen on his plan. Nonetheless, he had no choice but to be dragged along as Reeve steered towards the unidentified blip on the screen. Golden eyes remained glued on the view window, half-curious and half-wary.

And when it came into sight, Nanaki gasped. "What? An airplane?"

Reeve frowned, punching a few more buttons as he eased towards the sunken wreckage. "Not just a plane but the Gelnika, ShinRa's second favorite transport. Last I heard, it had flown the Huge Materia to Rocket Town. Seems like one of the Weapons got it."

Behind them, in a shadowy alcove, Yuffie groaned.

Nanaki cast her a sympathetic look before returning to the screen. "What did it usually transport?"

"Weapons. Materia." Reeve paused, making a very disgusted face. "Hojo's research." His words hung heavy in the stillness of the cabin.

The other male mused on this as they began to circle around the fallen plane, which looked faintly green beneath the press of the ocean.

"Weapons," he murmured.

"Yes. And usually the higher-class, newly developed ones," Reeve responded as he flicked a switch, illuminating much of the bottom of the ocean with a sudden light. "They could be useful."

Suddenly, the idea of exploring it became very appealing. They had been cramped into the submarine for the better part of four hours, and Nanaki wanted to stretch his legs.

A smirk tugged at his lips. "Can we board it?"

Reeve turned his head, inspecting something on his control panel. "Luckily, we stole a loader. I'll spare you the details, but in short, yes." He shifted the wheel and headed towards the somewhat upwards facing door he had caught sight of earlier. "Let's go inside."

Nanaki nodded in agreement, while Yuffie merely moaned. It was translated as a concord.

Three minutes later, they were hovering several feet above the door. Reeve unbuckled himself from the driver's seat. He stretched, hearing the bones in his back pop and crack. He needed the break just as much as Nanaki.

Reeve gestured vaguely towards the hall just through the door behind them. "Just follow me. I have to operate the loader manually," he explained, already slipping past them and leaving his companions to trail along after him.

He led them into the lower regions of the submarine and directly to what appeared to be a door in the bottom. Reeve knelt, popping a panel out of place on the floor and revealing yet another set of gleaming buttons and switches.

It made Nanaki's head spin. Still, he continued to watch as Reeve's nimble fingers danced over the control board.

The submarine gave a shudder around them and heard the low whine of something mechanical shifting. There was a thunk, then a tremble, followed by a repeated clacking.

Nanaki winced at the myriad noises.

It didn't sound safe that was for certain.

Slim hands grasped his free arm. He looked down to find Yuffie staring up at him, still vaguely pale.

"W-what's he doing?" she whispered, her brow furrowing as her voice came out slightly in a stutter.

"Honestly? I have no idea."

Reeve chuckled at his words. "You don't want to get wet, do you?" he asked. "I'm creating a short connection to the door. I think the Gelnika is still airtight… to a certain extent."

He rose to his feet, only to crouch over the circular handle on the door. He grasped it tightly and began turning it with very audible squeaks.

"A certain extent?" Yuffie ventured, sounding distinctly nervous.

Reeve rolled his eyes. "We'll be fine," he assured her. "I ran a preliminary scan. There's oxygen present."

She snorted, noticing how he hadn't mention just how much. "That makes me feel _so_ much better."

The door came open with a loud screech, popping up so quickly that Reeve stumbled backwards. Nevertheless, the three crowded around the new opening and peered down.

There was a short ladder that led directly to a door on the other end. A circular section of what appeared to be collapsible metal formed a tunnel, ten feet in diameter all the way down, and a series of heavy-duty magnets connected them to the Gelnika. It looked relatively safe.

"No use just staring," Reeve announced as he swung his legs down and began to climb. His feet echoed hollowly on the metal rail, his hands squeaking over the rungs.

Nanaki and Yuffie exchanged glances before quickly following, the girl's motion sickness having faded now that they weren't actually moving. As such, she went first, while Nanaki brought up the rear.

Reeve was already turning the other door handle, the same circular latch as before, by the time they finished climbing. It screeched and complained as he tugged before finally giving way with a loud, hair-raising shriek that made all three of them wince. The metal door plopped open, falling inwards and finally giving them access to the interior of the Gelnika. They could see the brief luminescence of some type of light glowing brightly within, which was encouraging.

"You first," Yuffie suggested, exchanging looks with Reeve. Her voice echoed eerily hollow within the Gelnika, and she gulped loudly, not liking the odd feeling of trepidation that crept down her spine.

Reeve rolled his eyes before he swung around, fingers groping for the ladder. He began to climb down with swift movements, shivering a flush of cold, clammy air washed over his body. Seconds later, he dropped down to the floor, landing ankle deep in a small puddle of water and standing within a barely lit hallway.

Two doors were somewhat visible a little ways away. Near to the farthest one, there was a large, rotting box. It was oddly placed, having no apparent reason for being in the middle of a hallway where anyone could have tripped over it.

"Cold!" Yuffie complained, dropping down into the water with a big splash. She immediately spied the relatively drier floor just a few steps in front of them and clambered over.

She shivered as she rubbed her hands over her arms. "It's certainly not the tropics!" the ninja added, shooting Reeve a look.

He frowned thoughtfully as he strode towards the wooden box, inspecting the cover for any sort of clue as to what was inside. Reeve spotted ShinRa's symbol and something else, W.R.D., Weapons Research and Development.

Interesting.

Reeve dug into the box before he knew what he was doing as he heard Nanaki also dropping down into the hallway. Thankfully, the demi-human did not complain about the cold water, despite his very thin socks and sandals. Of course, Nanaki normally wouldn't even have those on, but Reeve had insisted he wear them on the submarine.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" Yuffie asked, striding up to Reeve.

The man tilted his head to the side as he shoved aside straw and pieces of wood. "A new weapon if we're lucky," he answered before he finally caught the gleam of silver.

Yuffie decided to help, and together, the two of them shoved aside the covering until they revealed their find.

"A sword," Yuffie stated flatly before waving her hand and shaking her head. "As if Cloud doesn't have enough of those already."

"It's pretty powerful," Nanaki murmured, appearing at their side and nearly giving her a heart attack. His eyes raked over the blade. "It even has six slots and is stronger than the one he has now. We should pick it up on the way out."

"I wonder what else is on this plane," Yuffie muttered thoughtfully. She wandered away from their group, having lost interest rather quickly in the box once she learned she couldn't use it. "There are two doors. How 'bout we look into them?"

Reeve nodded. "We'll take the one on the right first."

He sniffed, wrinkling his nose at the smell that assaulted his senses. Despite having been sunken for only a short time, the Gelnika was already picking up a damp, moldy smell.

"And let's just hope that's not where they kept Hojo's specimens," Yuffie put in. She made a face, but that didn't stop her from being the first to cross the hallway to the door. "That man's whacked," she commented unnecessarily, peering through the gloom onto the symbol on the front of the door.

There was the typical ShinRa crest, and she scowled at it before reading the script beneath.

"Generator room," she read aloud before shrugging. "Never know, might be something interesting in there." The girl placed her hand on the door latch as the two males appeared at her side.

The door opened with a very audible creak and groan. The first thing they noticed was the chillier feel to the air, as well as the fact that it was significantly brighter inside. Here, the lights were more numerous and powerful, enabling them to see quite clearly. It may have been a generator room at some point, but now, it was being used for storage. Several boxes were scattered about, some looking broken and useless, others still intact with unknown treasures inside.

Yuffie's brows rose to her hairline as she stepped inside, pushing past Reeve with only a slight jostle. "They weren't very neat," she observed, already moving to one of the battered, wooden boxes.

Its contents had spilled out onto the floor.

"Most of it is broken." She stepped gingerly over shattered glass, most likely remainders of potions and ethers.

"We might still find something," Nanaki commented, stepping off to the right as he spied a box that had yet to be touched. He shoved the broken paneling from another container off of it before yanking off the cover and blinking with approval. "Cloud will be pleased."

Reeve looked up from running his fingers over another closed box. This one was closer to the large engine structure on the far side of the room yet.

"What is it?" he asked.

Slightly taloned hands dipped inside, pushing away the straw. "Escort Guard," he answered, reading aloud from the small inscription engraved in the base of the armlet. "I have never heard of it, but I can practically feel the power coming off in waves."

"Lemme have it, then," Yuffie suggested from the opposite side of the room, poking around in the farthest corner of boxes.

Nanaki shook his head. "Sorry, Yufs. It's for men only," he replied, inspecting the armor carefully.

"Or very buff women," Reeve added, noting its size. "Very, very buff women," he corrected.

Nanaki glanced at the inscription again, reading a part he hadn't before. "And probably very gender confused ones." At their expressions, he explained, "Apparently, it really will only work for males. It's another one of ShinRa's experiments. Gender specific defense."

Yuffie pouted. "That's not fair," she muttered under her breath, only to suddenly squeal in delight when she kicked at a box and something popped out, gleaming at her feet. "Conformer! I've only ever heard rumors of these! They don't even make them anymore!" she exclaimed. "My mom said that my aunt once had one, but she lost it after she was ex--er… after she left Wutai."

Reeve and Nanaki smiled at her exuberance, only half-listening and not catching her slip-up as they poked about in the boxes.

In turn, she heaved a sigh of relief, having almost mentioned her exiled and most likely dead relation. Her sigh turned into one of sadness then as she realized that her poor aunt's only child was also dead now, courtesy of Sephiroth, and Yuffie had never even had the chance to meet him personally.

Neither of her companions noticed her frown and shake her head. Nanaki was still inspecting the Escort Guard, and Reeve was prying open the lid of a rather small box, bright yellow gleaming back at him.

A materia.

He absentmindedly shoved the orb into his pocket, already moving onto another equally promising box. He guessed that it contained some type of healing liquid, judging by the rattling sound it made.

"That's nice, Yuffie," Nanaki commented from the other side of the room, finally turning to look at her. "I think it is the strongest we've found yet."

Her face instantly transitioned to elation, brown eyes sparkling with excitement. He couldn't help but remark to himself just how very beautiful they were.

"8-linked slots, Nanaki. You can't get much stronger than that!"

He nodded in agreement, but suddenly, his senses prickled, every hair on the back of his neck rising. Nanaki had the unwelcome sensation that they were not alone and immediately swept his gaze over the rather small room, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed the air. His senses were not as attuned as they would be in his other form but were still significantly stronger than most human's, and he picked up the faint and nauseating odor of something strange. Moldy, almost.

"Nanaki, wha--"

He shushed her with a finger, his eyes momentarily darting to Reeve across the room as he focused his attention on his ears. Then, he heard it, a strange plopping sound like that of some sort of glop dripping to the floor. It was startling different from the subtle plip of leaking water, which had been an ever-present noise in the background.

"I think we should leave," he commented, already backing towards the door. "Now."

Reeve looked up from and frowned where he stood, already reaching into another box. "What? Wh--"

His words were cut off as something whipped down from the piping above him, wrapping around his stomach and jerking him upwards. His arm flailed out, smacking against the metal piping as he cried out in surprise.

"What… the… hell?" Reeve gasped as what he was positive was a tentacle tightened around him, cutting off his air.

Then, there was an orange blur, almost too quick to tell before something flashed in the dim light. Hands wrapped around him, jerking him free from the creature's hold. Nanaki's claw slashed through the tentacle, forcing it to let go, and the two males dropped back down the floor, where Yuffie quickly ran up to meet them.

Reeve sucked in huge gulping breaths of air, but they were given no reprieve as his attacker chose to show its ugly face, plopping down into the open space of the floor. Nausea gripped their bellies at the sight of the glistening pinkish flesh, and the gaping, saliva-slick mouth. Beady eyes glared at them as what appeared to be several tentacles dangled from its lower body.

"What is that?" Nanaki breathed, eyes wide with shock.

Reeve's hand automatically dropped to his side as he flicked a dagger into his hand. "I don't think I want to know," he said as Yuffie bounced beside him, practically filled with glee at getting to try out her new weapon.

The beast stared at them, and a faint twitch was their only warning before an array of tentacles came bursting towards them. The three split in opposite directions, sending their first attack back. Nanaki cast Sense, always his first move in any battle as Reeve sent a wave of Ice at the creature. Yuffie darted forward, quick as a flash and swiped her Conformer, but the beast evaded her and emitted a strange gurgling sound.

"It doesn't have any weaknesses!" Nanaki exclaimed as the glow of the Sense cast faded from his body. "I can't find a single one!"

Amber eyes widened. "What?" Reeve shouted, only to dodge when a trio of tentacles came shooting his direction. He panted, already wiping sweat from his brow as he had to be in constant motion.

Nanaki's claw flashed through the air, choosing to slice and dice rather than dodge, and he slashed one of the tentacles.

Green blood splashed out, falling to the metal floor beneath him with an acidic hiss; it immediately began to corrode the metal.

The demi-human recoiled, having nearly dripped the stuff on his foot. "Watch out for the blood!" he called out, grimacing with distaste as a foul odor wafted up from the melted metal.

The creature keened in pain as it retracted its tentacles, content on finding an easier target.

A dagger whipped through the air, lodging itself neatly in one of the monster's two largest eyes, only to be rapidly followed by the steady ching of Yuffie's throwing chakrams as they embedded themselves in the thing's flesh. It snarled and hissed with its strange gurgles and instantly retaliated, the girl the last opponent who had caused it pain.

The beast slapped her across the room in the same moment she attempted to dodge another tentacle, and the young Wutaiian went flying, crashing against an opposite wall and landing limply on a stack of broken boxes. She groaned as she weakly tried to rise, but one end of the tentacle wrapped around her ankle, prepared to grip and toss her again.

Nanaki darted out of nowhere, slashing through the appendage so quickly it had no time to bleed on him before he rushed the monster.

"Yuffie!" Reeve cried, scrambling to his feet and trying to rush to the ninja's side. Red blood was spattering to the metal floor, and he could tell from her ginger movements that something had been injured.

A flash and a squelch later, a huge gash was torn in the monster's side, spilling even more ichor onto the floor as Nanaki attacked. The demi-human grunted when a tentacle slammed into him, nearly succeeding in knocking him off balance, and he sliced at it, causing acidic blood to drip on his thigh. But he gritted his teeth against the pain and gripped the tentacle with his unweaponed hand and squeezed.

The monster keened in pain as Reeve finally reached Yuffie's side, kneeling to help the girl. Nanaki noticed this from the corner of his eye, only to have them widen in shock. Taking advantage of the situation, having one opponent entangled, the monster decided to concentrate on its other enemies.

"Reeve!" Nanaki called out, trying to alert the executive as he struggled with the tentacles wrapped around him.

The former executive's head whipped around as he rose to his feet, only to stare in horror at the two largest tentacles, which were seconds from colliding with him. One was dripping acidic blood already, and both had huge gaping maws on them, foaming at the mouth. But it was too late.

No time to run or dodge, he could only crouch over Yuffie and throw up his hands. He closed his eyes and waited for the pain.

Only… it never came.

He heard the crackle of something fleshy against a barrier, a monster's cry of pain, and the subtle surge of power in the air. Reeve opened his eyes, finding that a shield, which he hadn't cast, was repelling the splash of acid. It sent the tentacle flying back at its monster.

Blinking in confusion, Reeve took advantage of the situation and tossed out Fire 2 on the retreating creature, noting with pleasure that it had some effect. Lightning crackled through the air as Nanaki jerked a Swift Bolt from his hair and tossed it at their attacker, the combination of the attacks creating a hefty distraction.

"What was that?" Nanaki called out, trying to make it over to their side as the flash of green magic, a Cure, filled the air.

Yuffie rose to her feet, coughing slightly.

"I don't know!" Reeve shouted back, shaking his head.

"Look out!"

Yuffie and Reeve darted in opposite directions, reacting on instinct. Two tentacles crashed by them, slamming into the wall and cracking through several broken boxes.

Reeve twisted to the side, whipping out a second dagger and pinning it neatly in the monster's other eye. With any luck, the smaller orbs would be for show and the thing would be blinded now.

The ninja rolled on her shoulder, nimbly dodging yet another attack, before leaping to her feet and darting forward, Conformer at the ready. She could literally feel the power in the weapon as Nanaki distracted it with a Fire Fang, sending another burst of flame across its pinkish hide. Yuffie slipped in under the creature's defenses and slashed a huge gash across the flattened, puckered front of it. She quickly darted away before one of the smaller tentacles with the suckers could get a grip on her.

A short distance away, Reeve scrambled to his feet and hurriedly tossed out another Fire 2 at the monster. He was hesitant to use anything stronger, for fear of causing damage to the Gelnika and possibly drowning them all. It was a pity since an Ultima would probably take the entire thing out in a few seconds.

Nanaki was an orange and red blur as he moved around in a flash, slicing and nimbly avoiding acidic splashes, in spite of the injury on his leg. One whole tentacle slipped by him, however, and attacked Yuffie, slapping her across the shoulder. It caused her to spurt several very unladylike curses, which would have made Cid proud, as her body began to glow the very visible crimson of a limit break.

"Bloodfest!" she growled, clutching her Conformer tightly as she darted forward.

The demi-human recognized this attack and quickly moved out of the way, flashing to Reeve's side, and the two males watched the small female pummel the monster to bits. She used a series of ten consecutive and deadly slashes, leaving the beast a shuddering, sliced up mess on the floor of the Gelnika.

Her eyes flashed with battle fury as her Conformer glinted in the dim emergency lighting, sending green ichor through the air, and the monster gurgled one last time before it collapsed. It rapidly turned into dusty, black ash that coated the metal floor.

Yuffie emitted a ragged cheer as the scarlet glow of her limit break faded, breathing somewhat haggardly.

"Great job," Nanaki called out from the opposite side of the room where Reeve was already heading towards him with a megalixir he had confiscated from one of the boxes. Only two of the entire case had survived the fight.

The ninja beamed at the praise.

The subtle and soothing prickle of the elixir splashed onto the demi-human's acid burnt leg, and he returned his attention to the ex-executive.

"None of us have Barrier. Where did that shield come from?"

Reeve shook his head, appearing just as perplexed. "I honestly don't know, but I'm glad for it." He shuddered visibly as he drank down half of the other megalixir before passing the rest to Yuffie. "I wouldn't have survived otherwise."

"What was that thing?" Yuffie asked, taking the small glass bottle and gulping down the rest of the sparkling, purple liquid.

It cooled as it went down, sending a comforting tingle through her body. Already, she could feel her bruises healing.

Nanaki frowned. "Unknown… that was all Sense could reveal." He rose to his feet, stretching out his recently healed leg. "It was probably one of Hojo's experiments," he added as he made a disgusted face, looking above them. He tilted his head to the side before making a leap that neither human could accomplish and grasping onto the pipes above them.

The demi-human neatly swung his body up, his voice echoing behind him as golden eyes scanned the open space. "I think it was the last one though."

Yuffie's hand went to her heart. "Thank Dao'Chao," she breathed. Despite having kicked its ass in the end, the creature was more trouble than it was worth.

Nanaki dropped neatly to the ground in front of her, shaking his head. "Don't get too happy just yet. There's no more in this room, but I don't know about the rest of the plane."

"Let's move on then. This place gives me the creeps," Yuffie responded, making a disgusted face.

"I couldn't agree more," Reeve commented, rising to his feet and stretching.

The remainder of the boxes had been destroyed during the battle, so there wasn't much left in terms of salvaging. There was no reason for them to remain.

"We can check out the other door now," the ex-executive continued as he moved to the exit, the other two on his heels.

They stepped into the hallway, just as eerily silent as before, but this time they were decidedly more wary. The encounter with the unknown beast had left them somewhat shaky.

"Let's just hope there aren't any more strange monsters on the other side," Reeve muttered as he opened the other door and peeked within.

Several barrels full of questionable substances blocked the way, however. At least, he didn't feel the presence of any enemies, so he nodded his head towards Nanaki and Yuffie before pushing the door the rest of the way and stepping inside.

Only to come to a complete halt as he stared at the other end of the room. His entire body froze, and his breath caught in his throat, every drop of blood draining from his face. That moment he had feared, what he hadn't wanted to face, stood right in front of him.

On the other side of the room, facing another door, were Reno and Rude.

How ironic.

They turned at his stifled gasp of surprise, and even from across the room, Reno's eyes immediately found Reeve's, widening with his own shock. It felt as if the world narrowed to just the two of them, and at this point, Reeve still didn't have an answer to his question.

He didn't want to fight Reno, he really didn't want to. He knew he couldn't bring himself to harm the Turk. But that would put him on the run again because he knew that AVALANCHE wouldn't abide his presence if he sided with the enemy. Reeve was left with very few options, and a small part of him started to shake.

Life was certainly cruel.

Suddenly, a small hand settled on his arm, squeezing comfortingly. "We don't have to fight them," Yuffie murmured, looking up at him with large, sympathetic eyes.

"What?" He blinked, taking in a short, hitched breath as he somehow managed to tear his gaze away to look at her.

Nanaki stepped up to his other side, having smoothly avoided colliding with him earlier. "We know already, Reeve," he answered quietly. "We know."

"You don't have to prove anything by fighting them," the little ninja added, shooting him one of her big smiles. Her fingers squeezed his arm again before she patted his shoulder.

The demi-human nodded. "Yes. If anyone has anything to say, we've already decided that we will cover for you."

On the other side of the room, neither Turk had made any moves yet, merely observing the interaction between the three of them. Rude and Reno did, however, exchange glances, something nameless sparkling behind aquamarine eyes.

"H--how?" Reeve stuttered, still completely perplexed. "When?"

Yuffie smiled smugly. "Since we were in Junon," she responded before waving her hand dismissively. "Besides, no one's any good at being secretive in our group, except for Vinnie," she added with a shrug.

Nanaki inserted with his own grin, "And I bet I know where you disappeared to in Wutai."

The girl giggled then, pausing only long enough to wink. "And you should see the stuff Cloud puts in his hair, and well, you're not alone. You know--"

"Yuffie! That's not our secret to tell," the demi-human said, shooting her a warning look.

She waved him off. "Point is, you don't have to fight them," Yuffie finished.

Reeve was dumbfounded, but that didn't stop him from raising his gaze to meet his lover's. Nanaki and Yuffie couldn't know that Rude was aware of their relationship, but still, they were willing to express their support. He felt an embarrassing amount of gratefulness bubbling up inside of him and had to resist the urge to throw his arms around them.

Just then, the walkie-talkie dangling from Reno's belt crackled to life, filling the not-tense silence with its annoying static. The Turk reached down and grabbed the device. He pressed a button and spoke into it with low tones that they couldn't hear, and Rude turned towards him but remained silent.

Even so, the walkie's response was plainly audible. "AVALANCHE and our stolen submarine have been spotted in the area. If possible, locate and destroy."

Reno rolled his eyes. "Affirmative," he muttered into the device before clicking it off and handing it over to his partner. "Good thing we haven't found them yet, hmm?" he questioned with a note of amusement to his tone.

Rude clapped his partner on the shoulder and turned away, heading towards an opening that the other three hadn't seen before, hidden behind another barrel.

"I'll go on ahead, Reno," he intoned, already crouching to grab a hold of the ladder that disappeared down into the darkened depths. "Don't be too long."

When Reno nodded, Nanaki and Yuffie took the hint.

"We'll be waiting on the sub, okay?" Yuffie chirped before wiggling one of their recently acquired items in her hand. "These're kind of heavy."

Nanaki smiled, showing very pointy teeth. "I'll grab the Heaven's Cloud. We can come back later after we've stocked back on some stronger materia." He turned on his heels and left the hallway, Yuffie on his heels.

The door slid shut with a quiet thunk, leaving the two lovers alone, and Reeve closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. He raked a hand through his hair, his posture still ramrod straight.

"I can't fight you," he admitted softly. "I realize that now. If we must stand on opposite sides of the battlefield, I cannot hurt you."

Before he could open his eyes, he felt the arms sliding around him, and a forehead settled on his shoulder in complete opposition to the fact that Reno was taller than him by several inches.

Reeve bit his lip, lifting his arms and wrapping them around his lover as well. "It's really not fair." The former executive sighed. "But at least we had Wutai."

Reno chuckled against his shoulder, "You think those brats will keep their word?" he asked.

The older man nodded, hands unconsciously tightening. "Where do we go from here?" he whispered. "Opposite directions? Back to our different paths? Do you honestly think ShinRa's right?"

"No. But other than you, the Turks are all I have. And ShinRa wasonce _all_ we had… other than each other." He smiled briefly then. "If I don't keep my job, how are we going to eat in the future?"

Reeve bit his lip. "If there is a future," he murmured.

A hand was on his chin before he knew it, and his eyes snapped open, only to have his entire view replaced by vivid blue-green eyes. They were filled with the same intent stare that he had fallen in love years ago.

"Don't say that," Reno hissed, his voice filled with a determined trill that literally sent chills down Reeve's spine. "I'm not doing this for nothing, yo. There _will _be a future."

He leaned forward and kissed Reeve, and for a few blissful minutes, there was nothing more important than the two of them. Their lips pressed together, working one against the other in a slow, lazy rhythm.

Reeve broke away with much reluctance. "Be careful, ne? I've seen too many of my friends die already, and I can't lose you," he said gently, his breath puffing against his lover's lips.

Fingers tickled at the hairs on the base of his neck. "Tseng's not dead, yo."

"What?"

Reno nodded. "He's got a nasty wound through the gut and some other minor stuff, but he's alive. So don't worry about me. It takes a lot more than a crazy once-dead guy to kill us, yo."

The former executive managed a smile, despite the pain cracking through his heart. "You make a valid point." He slowly disentangled himself from Reno's hold. "You'd better go… before ShinRa realizes that something is up."

The Turk's hand fell to his pocket even as he raked free fingers through his bright locks. "You better survive, Reeve. 'Cause when it's all said and done, I've got something to say to you."

"What is it?"

"Not now." Reno shook his head as he swallowed thickly, a bit of indecision peeking through his usually strong mask. "Just… I love you."

He shifted another step backwards. Reno knew that if he didn't, he would never leave. Only a few feet separated them, but already, it felt like miles.

Reeve turned away, hands clenching into fists at his sides. If he didn't look, it would be that much easier. Easier, if he didn't have to watch his lover walk away.

"I love you, too," he responded, blinking away sudden and very unmanly tears.

There was silence for a moment until Reno suddenly pressed against his back. His hand snaked around to the front and pushed something into his clenched fist.

"Don't go into that other room. All of Hojo's freaks have escaped, and they're deadly."

And then, the warmth was gone.

Reno scurried down the ladder to wherever Rude was waiting, and Reeve was left staring at a red materia in his hand. His vision blurred, and he couldn't seem to make out the identifier symbols of the summon. It felt as if a heavy weight had settled on his chest, and inwardly, he cursed Rufus ShinRa, loathing the man and his family with every piece of himself for the pain he currently suffered.

"Reeve?"

His head snapped up at the hesitant and worried tone, finding Yuffie in the doorway. Her face was drawn tight with concern, and he couldn't help but wonder how much she had witnessed, if any at all.

"Are you alright?"

It took great effort, but he managed a nod. "Yes… I'm fine," he rasped, slipping the still unidentified materia into his pocket. A smile, thin at best, worked its way onto his face.

Someone had to be strong, and he simply couldn't be allowed to break.

Yuffie didn't appear to believe him, eyeing him with a skeptical stare. Nevertheless, she showed great maturity and didn't badger him.

"Nanaki says our fuel's getting low."

Reeve nodded, already moving to follow. "Let's go then. We don't want to be trapped here."

He felt her eyes on him as they headed to the submarine, but he knew she couldn't offer him any comfort. No one could.

Still, he was well-schooled in hiding his true feelings, so by the time he was seated back in the driver's seat, Reeve was back to his normal cheery self.

At a glance, no one would have known that anything was wrong or that he had just said his hardest goodbye. Not unless they cared enough to look closely.

And right before he pulled the submarine away from the Gelnika, Reeve glanced at the red materia once more, studying the symbols.

Hades.

Reeve instantly decided he would give it to Vincent. It sounded like something the former Turk would appreciate.

---

"A cave behind a waterfall?" Vincent murmured quizzically as he stood at the opening, gazing into the gaping darkness.

"We've already got the key," Cloud urged impatiently. "Do we really need to go inside?" He looked at the gunman, who appeared entranced.

Vincent didn't respond to his question.

After searching what seemed to be the entire ocean floor once Reeve returned, the three men had finally stumbled upon two tunnels. And one had led to the key. In trying to find their way out, they had taken a wrong turn and had ended up in a deep lagoon surrounded by steep mountains on both sides and a waterfall.

"Vince?" Cid furrowed his brow in confusion. He looked to his lover and saw pain behind the gunman's eyes, and the pilot couldn't quite help the shiver of dread that raced up his spine.

Still, the ex-Turk did not respond. He ignored his two companions as he took a step forward and entered the cave, as if drawn by something beyond his will.

"Calling," Vincent murmured, though his voice couldn't be heard over the roaring falls.

Cid and Cloud exchanged glances and hurried to follow their teammate, who was acting even stranger than usual. They could hear the steady clomp of Vincent's boots echoing hollowly on the stone floor, but they could no longer see him.

The two stumbled along in the darkness, only Cloud really able to see anything. Cid wondered what had gotten into Vincent and why he had seemed to so eager to explore the cave. He was far ahead of them as well, seemingly driven by something neither blond could see or feel.

As they walked, the pilot felt his feeling of dread deepen. Of course, it wasn't helped by the shudders that he got every time he looked over and saw his leader's eyes glowing in the dark, pupils nearly slitted. Cid was dearly glad that he had gotten out of the military before they had decided to try their little mako experiments.

Minutes later, Cid could see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, though its purplish-green glow wasn't the least bit comforting. They neared a widening of the cave, one that didn't encourage him at all. A feeling of uneasiness settled in his belly and refused to disperse.

The two blonds pushed forward, only to find themselves staring open-mouthed in shock.

The walls around them glowed as bright as day, some mineral in them lighting the entire cavern. The area itself was mostly empty, although both the walls and the floors seemed smooth and polished. Whether or not the cave was natural was up for discussion.

The ex-Turk was paused just a few steps past the doorway. Vincent was immobile as he stared at something in the room ahead of them.

Cid and Cloud peered around their companion, trying to figure of what.

It was a woman, and she was dressed in a lab coat with her long, brown hair trailing down her back. She was serenely beautiful, though the anguish and melancholy evident in her face seemed to steal some of it away.

Cid had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he looked at her. However, it wasn't until he heard Vincent's tortured whisper that he knew his fears were true.

"Lucrecia…"

* * *


	28. All of Me

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: All of Me**

Cid snarled, frantically trying to calm the convulsing and flailing gunman. "Hold him down, dammit!!" He narrowly avoided a thrashing limb.

"Fuck off!" Cloud growled in return as he fought to grab a hold of Vincent's legs. "He's stronger than me, you know."

"C'mon, Vince! Pull out of this!" the pilot exclaimed with exasperation.

The gunman couldn't hear him, however. His eyes were locked shut as he tried to fight off his lover, emitting screams of terror and anguish that echoed all too painfully inside of Cid's own heart.

The pilot gritted his teeth and planted himself down on Vincent's chest, hoping his weight would be enough to stop the bucking man from thrashing about on the ground. He was going to hurt himself if he kept doing that.

"Who's got the damn Seal materia?" Cloud demanded loudly.

Barret shook his head, his eyes wide with both fear and anger. "Tried that already," he hollered. "Didn't work on the damned freak!"

"No! Un… uh. Stop!!" the former Turk shrieked, the scream turning into a low groan. However, it wasn't the type of moan Cid was used to hearing, one filled with terror instead of passion.

Yuffie winced, throwing her hands up over her ears as she closed her eyes to block out the sight. "Make him stop," she whimpered.

The ninja was used to fighting demons and monsters, killing soulless creatures on the battlefield. She feared nothing, but for Gaia's sake, she was just sixteen!! And to see such a usually stoic and calm person writhe about on the floor and scream in piercing agony was too much for her to bear. She could tell that Vincent was hurting, and there wasn't anything that she could do.

Her body began to shake uncontrollably as she tried to block out the horrifying sights and sounds.

"Nanaki, get her the &! out of here!" Cloud ordered as he ground his teeth together, trying to contain the greater strength of Vincent before he hurt himself or someone else. The blond's face paled when he noticed the rippling of the man's skin and the tell-tale shadows ghosting under the surface.

The demi-human noticed as well and quickly grabbed the little ninja before she could notice also, taking her away from the cargo bay. He really didn't want to be there either, knowing that there was nothing he could do. He would leave it up to the older members of their group and do well in his duties to take care of Yuffie and the crew of the ship.

In turn, the girl clung to him like a lifeline as he led her away. She was afraid for Vincent, afraid of what they might have to do to help him.

"He's going to change," Reeve breathed, horrified as he looked on helplessly. He was at a loss at how to help. Truthfully, he couldn't even begin to comprehend what was going on. He just knew that he had to help his normally stoic friend.

The Captain's eyes narrowed. "Not if I can help it," he growled, narrowly avoiding getting slapped in the face by a flailing arm. "Somebody grab his arms." His heart thudded loudly in his chest as crimson eyes fluttered, pupils unnaturally large.

Reeve and Barret immediately came forward, and each took hold of one of the gunman's arms. It took their combined efforts as Vincent shrieked and tried to pull free from their grasp. It seemed he could no longer recognize friend from foe or even reality from whatever terribly nightmare he was trapped in.

"What about Stop?" Reeve suggested haggardly, his face red from exertion. "Where's the Time materia?"

Cloud's face fell as he berated himself. "Nanaki's got it! Fuck!"

"It wouldn't have worked anyways, not if Sleep didn't," Cid ground out.

There was a flash of green light, indicating that someone had just used their materia.

Of course, this only caused Vincent to scream louder, as if someone had just shocked him with millions of jolts of electricity. His back arched, and he very nearly succeeded in throwing the pilot off of him. Whatever Hojo had done to him truly had made him stronger than any normal human and perhaps even the mako-altered Cloud or the preternaturally powerful Nanaki.

"What the hell are you doing?" Cid demanded, casting a furious glare at Barret, who was hurriedly stuffing his materia back into his pocket.

"I tried DeSpell."

Sky blue eyes flashed. "Why in the hell would that work, dumbass?" Cid snarled. "You fuckin' made him worse!"

Indeed, Vincent was now thrashing to get free from the three of them. He fought back blindly, lashing out with fists and feet as eyelids fluttered over unseeing red eyes.

"I thought Yuffie had Destruct," Reeve murmured uselessly under his breath. He was truly at a loss for ideas.

"Yeah, cuz the brat stole it from me!!" the gun-armed man shot back.

"Shut up!" Cloud yelled, shooting them both irritated glares. If it weren't for his hands locked onto Vincent, he would have torn his hair out from sheer frustration alone. "You're not helping!!"

Cid looked down at his lover, heart breaking at the tears streaking down the gunman's pale face. There was something irrevocably wrong in seeing Vincent's face exposed like that, all of his secrets and his sorrows plain for everyone to see.

And a part of him was jealous as well. That all the trouble he had put forth to worm his way closer to Vincent was for naught now that everyone else could see him revealed.

It was in that moment the pilot realized that he had lost his heart to Vincent. Every part of him strained to find something to simply fix his lover, to ease the naked terror and pain that stretched across the other man's face. It was evident in his taut muscles and desire to simply escape, and it hurt Cid to see him in so much pain.

The blond realized that there was no turning back now. There was no giving up.

Cid searched his mind desperately for something to do, but he was lost. He didn't know what was going on. He didn't understand. The gunman had just collapsed and out of nowhere started going fucking nuts.

"You have to stop the change, or he'll be lost forever," the old sage intoned. He had been mostly quiet, observing the events with an impassive gaze, like he knew something that the others did not.

"Dammit! I know!!" the Captain cursed, but truly, he didn't know. The pilot didn't have a clue.

For once in his life, Cid felt completely lost.

Bugenhagen looked at the man sadly, bowing and taking his leave. It was much safer out on the deck.

Cid looked down at his flailing lover helplessly, wishing that he knew what he could do.

It was then that the memory hit him.

_Lying wrapped in his arms was one sexually satisfied gunman. It was funny that after they had reconciled, Vincent could hardly get enough of his pilot, usually tiring the poor blond out. However, lying together in the warm and cozy post-coital afterglow was enough to satisfy him for the moment. _

"_You know, Vince," Cid began as he reached for his post-orgasm nicotine rush. _

_The other man glared, and the pilot sighed. No cigarette for him then. _

"_If someone were to tell my past self that one day I'd be fucking an ex-Turk on my own airship in the Captain's quarters… well, I might've told them to give me whatever shit it was they were smoking." _

_  
The dark-haired man cocked an eyebrow at Cid, an amused expression on his face. "Is that so?" _

"_Yeah, it is." The pilot nodded. _

_His fingers itched to hold a cigarette, but the last time he tried to smoke, Vincent had punished him. Then again, punishment didn't sound so bad, and he started to weigh the options in his mind._

"_You are a crazy fool." The ex-Turk sighed as he laid his head back down on the pilot's chest. _

"_Yeah, you're probably right." The Captain laughed in agreement, still internally debating. Was he too tired? Could he handle another round?_

"_Cid?"_

"_Hm?" _

"_Why don't you fear me?"_

_The pilot blinked, completely confused. "Huh?" _

_That had come out of nowhere. _

"_Even from the beginning, you had no fear of me. Yet, you know what I am, what I am capable of--" _

_Cid cut him off quickly. "No, I know who you are Vincent, not what," he corrected. "Don't confuse the two." _

_Vincent sat up enough to look his lover in the eye, some of his loose tresses moving in front of his face. Cid couldn't help but think how gorgeous his former Turk was as he reached to rub an ebony strand between his calloused fingers. _

"_You are not afraid that I might turn on you? That one of these times I might lose control and turn into a monster?" He searched Cid's face, as if trying to peer inside the pilot's mind. _

"_Nah," the Captain exclaimed, grinning broadly. "I know just what I'd do!"_

_The gunman cast a skeptical look, half-afraid to ask. "What?" _

_Cid beamed and snuck a hand behind Vincent's head, pulling the gunman down for a deep kiss. The pilot slipped his tongue inside the other man's mouth, tasting himself from their earlier actions. _

_It was strangely erotic. _

_Vincent moaned into his mouth and tried to open up even more. He further attempted to encourage Cid, but the blond pulled back and grinned again, looking him in the eye. _

"_I'd do just that! Nothing can withstand the Highwind charm!!"_

"_Hopeless," the dark-haired man muttered, shaking his head. _

"_Is that so?" Cid teased as he reached and trailed his fingers over Vincent's skin. _

_The ex-Turk moaned and bit his bottom lip, a move that was decidedly sexy and more than enough to turn the pilot on. For being such a quiet and closed, man Vincent was extremely sensual. _

"_You're making me hungry," he warned. _

_Cid smirked as he reached up and pulled the gunman into another deep kiss. "That was the general idea."_

"Cid! Dammit!" the leader growled, pulling the other blond out of his reverie. "Do something!" he snarled.

"Why the hell are you lookin' at me?" Cid demanded, slashing a hand through the air.

To his left, Reeve gasped, drawing all of their attention. "Kami-sama!" he moaned, amber eyes wide with desperation. "It's too late!"

The blond pilot glanced around. He could feel Vincent's body writhing beneath him, and he saw the claws beginning to lengthen on the gunman's right hand and the fangs starting to appear in his screaming mouth. Galian Beast was fighting his way out, either him or something much worse.

_I'd do just that! Nothing can withstand the Highwind Charm!_ His own words echoed in his head.

Cloud struggled to hold down Vincent's legs with one arm as he reached for his sword with the other. He didn't want to; by Kami-sama, he didn't want to kill his friend, or at least something close to it. Still, he would do what was necessary.

Vincent screamed, deep and throaty, one of pain that sent chills down the spines of each man present.

And Cid had no other ideas. His mind was blank, so the Captain did the only thing he thought he could do.

"I'm sorry, Vince," he whispered. Leaning forward, he grabbed the gunman's tossing head between his hands, and in front of everyone, Cid locked lips with Vincent.

The shock of that action didn't last long as a sudden burst of power rocked through the room, strong enough to throw all four men out and away from the gunman. A bright glow filled the area, along with the sense of a strong presence.

Reeve and Barret hit opposite walls of the room, sliding to the ground like sacks of potatoes. Cloud was pushed across the floor on his stomach, cheek scraping on something hard as his forehead slammed into the metal flooring.

Cid skidded backwards with enough force that he crashed his head into the wall behind him, cracking his skull hard enough to see stars. He felt a weight settle on his stomach as he struggled to clear his vision.

--You will regret the day you fought against me!-- The voice, low and menacing, resonated in his mind, and the pilot swore that he could smell sulfur and feel hot breath on his cheek.

"I'm not scared of you," Cid growled, grunting with the pain as he attempted to push the weight away.

--That is a mistake you will soon wish you had never made!--

The pilot opened his mouth to respond, believing that he could feel a pair of hate-filled eyes boring into his skull. However, before the words could escape, the pressure on his chest dissipated, and the immense power that had filled the room vanished leaving it cold, empty, and dark.

For a moment all was still, nothing and nobody moved. Slowly, the lights began to blink on one by one, bathing the bay in a wash of fluorescent light. There was a low groan, and Cloud slowly pushed himself to his feet, holding his aching head. He turned to gaze over the rest of the room. Reeve and Barret were gingerly beginning to rise as Cid slowly crawled across the floor to where his lover lay in a crumpled heap.

"What the hell happened?" Cloud demanded through the pounding in his skull. He made his way across the floor to Vincent.

"I pissed off a demon," the Captain answered wearily. "Apparently, he wanted to come out and play." He made his way to Vincent's side and looked over his lover.

The gunman was unsurprisingly unconscious, and there was a faintly reddish tint to his pale complexion.

The pilot wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

"That is not what I meant!" their leader retorted.

Cid's eyes narrowed as he flung out an arm at the younger man, shoving him away. "Well, I don't have the answers!" he snapped, returning his attention to his lover.

The ex-Turk's face was eerily calm, and he appeared to be breathing evenly.

"That's fuckin' it!" Barret suddenly exclaimed, clambering to his feet and storming towards them. "That monster has to go before it kills us all!!" He pointed to Vincent viciously, glaring at their leader.

Cid tried to ignore the narrow-minded idiot's outburst, unconscious Vincent his sole concern.

Meanwhile, Cloud attempted to calm his fuming friend. "We don't know what's going on, Barret. We can't afford to make snap judgments!"

Barret snorted, one hand on his gun-arm, as if ready to fire at any instant. "We can't fuck' afford to die the next time vampy goes &!#$ crazy either!"

The Captain brushed a finger lightly over the gunman's cheek, wincing over how cold his skin felt.

"Is he going to be all right?" Reeve's soft voice suddenly appeared at Cid's right.

The pilot didn't bother to look up. "I don't know," he answered, shaking his head.

"You kissed him…" Reeve trailed off, stating the obvious.

He glanced around to see that indeed Cloud and Barret had seen as well. Reeve smiled softly then, a knowing look in his eyes, and he moved to help support the ex-Turk.

Cid didn't answer, instead turning his attention back towards his lover. "Vin? C'mon, baby; wake up." He trailed his fingers through ebony strands, feeling something in his chest constrict. "C'mon, baby…"

"It makes more sense for him to be where we can watch him! You want that power running free?"

"It won't &!#$ matter, if we're dead!"

Cid growled. "Will you two shut the fuck up!!" he yelled furiously, looking up from Vincent. His hands unconsciously tightened on the gunman's body.

Immediately, Cloud and Barret ceased and gaped at Cid with surprise. The pilot simply ignored their startled expressions, returning his attentions to his unaware lover, who chose that moment to awaken.

Vincent groaned and shifted his head. Crimson eyes fluttered open as he struggled to sit up. They instantly settled on the blond at his side.

"H… Highwind?" There was a questioning tone to the gunman's voice.

"Vince!" Cid exclaimed. "You're alive!" Instant relief flooded through him, and he sagged against the floor, his heart finally choosing a more normal rhythm inside his chest.

"I feel dead," the ex-Turk groaned, putting a hand to his head.

"What the hell happened?" Cloud demanded, trying to regain control.

"I don't know," Vincent snapped in return, face flushing as he tried to get to his feet; he reluctantly took the hands Reeve and Cid offered. "When do I ever know?"

"See!" the gun-armed man demanded heatedly. He pointed a meaty finger at the former Turk. "He's too dangerous to keep around here!"

Cloud sighed, but it was Cid who responded.

"You can &!#$ think about leaving him somewhere all you want. But then you can find your own transportation because this is my damned airship. I won't leave him behind!" Cid snapped angrily as he supported his quickly weakening lover on his shoulder.

Cloud and the pilot glared at each other as the sound of approaching footsteps alerted them to the return of Yuffie and Nanaki.

Their leader exhaled, shooting a warning glance at Barret. "He can stay."

"Don't do me any favors, Strife!" Vincent intoned, glaring. "It wasn't your decision to make."

With that said, Cid and the ex-Turk departed, leaving their confused companions behind.

Barret scowled, turning towards their leader. "You might be a fuckin' ex-SOLDIER," he growled, striding up to poke a finger in Cloud's face. "But I don't think you can control that."

"For now, that's not the issue," the blond said coolly, batting away the protruding finger.

Barret's face pinched. "If it ain't, then I dunno what is."

Reeve and Cloud exchanged glances but did not enlighten the man on the circumstances. If he couldn't figure it out on his own, perhaps that was for the better. As it were, the ex-executive knew he had much to think about. He shook his head at Barret's stubbornness and quickly exited the cargo bay, passing by both Yuffie and Nanaki on his way out.

He patted the ninja companionably on the shoulder as he left, and Yuffie breathed a sigh of relief that no blood had been shed, though her face was still pale. She left the room without a word, wisely deciding to stay of Cloud and Barret's conversation. Nanaki followed after her, the two not wanting to hear whatever the others had to say.

Besides, Yuffie was more interested in finding the two love-birds and seeing what else she could uncover. She exchanged glances with the demi-human beside her, who had a somewhat sneaky grin on his face.

Once everyone had gone, leaving Barret and he alone, Cloud finally released the breath he had been holding and raked a hand through spiked hair. Barret tossed him a wary look, crossing his arms over his chest as he expected his leader to explain.

"Do you really expect me to shove you towards a window and open the curtains?" Cloud finally began after a moment of silence.

Barret raised one brow, uncertain as to what Cloud was trying to say. "The fuck?"

Cloud sighed again. "Look, Vincent's not going to hurt us. But what is going to destroy this whole planet is the huge &!#$ rock just hanging up in the sky."

"I know that," Barret stated testily, a snort escaping his mouth. "But we ain't even gonna get to Sephiroth if vampy goes apeshit and blows us all to pieces."

The blond shot him a baleful stare. "You know, when I attacked Aeris, you still claimed friendship with me."

Barret harrumphed, shifting his eyes to the side. "That's different," he muttered, narrowing his gaze on the younger man. "Why're you standing up for him anyways?"

"I'm not; I'm just pointing out a fact," Cloud insisted as he turned on his heels, rubbing furiously at his brow once more. "I can't help but wonder what you're really thinking about me when Vincent and I are so much alike; that's all," he added as a parting comment, heading towards the door. "Think about it."

---

Cid helped Vincent over to the bed, and the former Turk laid down gratefully. He had returned them to his room, since it was both bigger and had a private bathroom, not that Vincent seemed to mind too terribly. The pilot sat down next to his splayed out lover and noted with concern the look of utter fatigue on the Vincent's face.

He waited several heartbeats before the question poured out of him. "What's going on, Vince?" the blond asked softly.

"I don't--"

The blond scowled. "Bullshit! I can see through you now."

Vincent sighed. "What do you care anyways? It's not like I am anything to you." He closed his eyes wearily, sinking deeper into the mattress.

Cid's face flushed, and his voice came out low, struggling to contain his emotions. "I don't know about you, Vince, but we stopped being fuck buddies a long time ago."

Crimson eyes snapped open, locking with the pilot, who somehow managed an even stare. He was captivated by that look, captivated by the pain covering the other man's face, and every part of him reached out to soothe it away.

'When,' Cid couldn't help but wonder, 'when'd it start hurting to think of our relationship bein' as empty as mere fuck buddies?'

When had Vincent's pain become his own? When had he started needing the other man with an intensity that seemed to take away his breath?

Realization struck him with the force of a bullet, nearly causing him to fall over in shock. It had started hurting when he started loving the irascible gunman. Though when exactly his heart had been given away, he couldn't be certain.

"In fact," Cid continued slowly, as if searching for the proper words, wanting to express his newfound revelation but knowing he treaded on delicate ground. "I think I have always known it would be more. I believe that I might have feelings for you." The blond shook his head as Vincent looked at him, an unreadable expression on his face. "I'm certain of it. I lo--"

"Don't you say it!" Vincent snapped, interrupting Cid's confession. He sliced a hand through the air, instantly jerking into a sitting position. "Don't you fucking say it, Highwind! You cannot possibly think that I would allow you to debase yourself by saying such things to me!"

Cid's hands clenched into fists at his side. "Where the hell do you get off telling me what I can say and feel?" the Captain demanded angrily. "Especially since I just &!#$ saved your life back there!"

"What kind of life did you save?" Vincent snarled in return. "I am nothing more than a monster! I don't even think I can die, Highwind!"

The pilot's hands came up, and before he could stop himself, he shoved Vincent back, fury filling his heart at every hateful word that poured from the gunman's mouth. Still weak, Vincent fell back against the bed, but his eyes burned with his own self-loathing; he stared with an unflinching, cold emotion.

"Don't you go on with that self-pity shit again!" Cid growled, hands clenching at his side. "Why don't you try explaining things for once, instead of just running away like a fuckin' coward!!"

"I am not a coward!" the ex-Turk snapped. "Besides, you would never understand. How could you? I don't even understand!" He practically yelled the last, surprised by the emotion that this man could evoke in him.

Cid's fist slammed into the mattress. "Prove it then," he ordered, eyes alit with determination. "Tell me everything and why I'll never understand."

Silence fell between them as the clock on the wall ticked annoyingly loud. Vincent's entire body was rigid as he stared at his lover, noting the flush of anger across Cid's face and the determined set to his jaw. There was no turning back; Cid wouldn't be deterred this time.

And the pilot was right. He had saved Vincent's life, pathetic and worthless though it may be. He deserved to know why Chaos had almost killed him.

Vincent sighed, his fury slowly deflating. "Fine. I'll tell you," he acquiesced slowly.

Anger gradually departed from the pilot's body now that he was finally getting the answers he wanted. "About damn time," Cid muttered as he flopped down on the bed. "Now, _talk_."

Ashamed, the gunman turned on his back. "I can't look you in the eyes if you must know the truth," he explained when Cid made a noise of protest, and he cleared his throat. "I know I told you that I don't remember much. It is true."

"Okay," Cid agreed. "Now, what else? Why did you go apeshit?"

Vincent sighed. "I don't know what Hojo did to me, or maybe it was even the thirty-year sleep. I can't be sure. Either way, my memory was fuzzy… well, that is until I found Lucrecia once again."

* * *


	29. Created Human

**Warning: Rape (not too graphic but still present), Torture, Hojo**

--This is a demon speaking.--

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Created Human**

"That voice?" Vincent murmured, eyes searching the cavern.

They fell on cracked, jagged rocks, and fluorescent light. A cold shiver wracked his thin frame when he finally caught sight of the ghostly figure. She was standing on what appeared to be a dais, looking every inch like the woman who had stolen his heart thirty years ago.

"It can't be…" His voice was barely above a whisper, as if he couldn't believe his eyes or his ears. "Lucrecia?"

The apparition responded, voice sounding soft and sensual at the same time, managing to reverberate throughout the area. It was the same timbre he had always remembered, striking a tone of familiarity through him.

"Vincent?"

"Lucia!!" Vincent exclaimed, hope surging so quickly in his heart he nearly gasped from it.

He took a step forward, fully prepared to return to her arms. For the moment, all that had happened since he had awoken disappeared from his mind. Cid faded away in the light of her eyes, those beautiful irises of brown that had captivated him from day one.

Yet, her face twisted with a strange expression. "Stay back!!" she ordered, her hand snapping up to ward off his approach.

He paused instantly, uncertainty creeping up on the edge of his thoughts. A pained expression took over his face, though it was difficult to see behind the folds of his cloak.

Behind him, Cloud and Cid could do nothing but watch, knowing it wasn't their place to interfere. Even if Cid wanted to run in there and demand to know what the hell was going on, anything to stop the look of almost naked pain he had caught on his lover's face.

After a moment, Lucrecia spoke, as if she had finally found the words she was searching for. "You… you let him take my son from me," she whispered, sounding lost and alone, desperately afraid.

Vincent paled, all the blood draining from his face. His memories were so blank; he didn't know what she was speaking of.

"W--what are you talking?" His words were nothing more than a stutter.

Son? He remembered nothing of a son.

And then, the pain came, racing across his mind like a lightning strike, bringing with it all the images that had lain buried. He gasped, his hand coming to his head as his eyes slammed shut. His veins pumped a sluggish rhythm, and it took all of his concentration to simply remain on his feet, knees buckling beneath him.

Memories. There were so many memories.

Of Lucrecia, talking about Hojo's and her decision to perform experiments on her unborn child.

Of himself, trying to convince Lucrecia to run away with him, and her flat refusal.

Of one lone Turk, going to confront a mad scientist with no weapon as back up, having promised the woman he loved that he wouldn't need it.

Of Hojo, cackling evilly as he shot Vincent twice. And the manic gleam in his eyes as he took the Turk's life, as if he were nothing more than a beast.

Of himself again, feeling like he were dying and indeed believing it was true until he had woke up in his current deformed shape.

He choked on his breath, face draining of all blood as his body thrummed with horror.

"T--this body is the punishment that's been given to me," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else as the memories stabbed at his conscious. "I was unable to stop Professors Gast and Hojo… and Crescent… Lucrecia Crescent." He hesitated on her name, repeating it over and over in his mind. "I was unable to stop them. All that I was able to do was watch. That is my punishment."

Sucking in a breath to somehow ease the agonizing twisting inside of him, Vincent raised his head, locking eyes with the woman he had loved.

"You're alive…"

She shook her head, seemingly oblivious to his obvious joy. "I wanted to disappear." Lucrecia choked, beginning to sob quietly. Silvery tear marks left a faint trail down her cheeks.

"I couldn't be with anyone. I wanted to die, but the Jenova inside me wouldn't allow it." Her tears were flowing more freely, falling down her face in salty trails of agony. "Lately, I dream of Sephiroth," Lucrecia began again after regaining her voice. "My dear, dear child. Ever since he was born, I never got to hold him, not even once. You can't call me his mother. That is my… sin." She broke into disjointed sobs again.

Vincent took a step forward, arm reaching out to comfort her, only to recoil when her eyes flashed angrily. She thrust out an arm towards him, dangerously close to striking him in the chest.

"Back!! Stay back!!" she screamed.

He froze and looked at her, the pain evident in his own eyes.

Her features softened and her eyes became pleading. "And yet, Vincent, won't you please tell me?"

The gunman took a deep breath. "Anything."

As always, when it came to her, there was nothing he wouldn't give, no request he would deny. His heart still pattered when he saw her, guilt clenching in his chest. Whatever she asked of him, he would supply, even if ached or broke something already desperately trying to heal.

"Is Sephiroth still alive? I heard he died five years ago. But I see him in my dreams so often, and I know that physically, like myself, he can't die so easily. Please, Vincent, tell me… does my child still live?"

Vincent was at a loss. He couldn't bear to tell Lucrecia the truth, even if it meant that he would bear the burden alone.

"Lucrecia…" he began slowly. He hesitated and appeared to gather himself, telling possibly the hardest lie in his life. "Sephiroth is dead."

"So I see," she responded in a tone that was more dead than alive. Her hands, clenched in a pleading gesture, fell limply at her sides. "I have failed him, after all."

"No," Vincent denied vehemently. He sliced his hand through the air for emphasis, daring to take one step closer to her. "It is I! I, who failed the both of you! I should have protected you, should have seen it sooner." He shook his head, hair flopping into his face. "Were it not for my pride, I would have taken you and ran!"

Somehow, she managed a smile through her tears. "That is why I loved you, dear Valentine. So kind beneath that cold exterior. I loved you once, long ago."

"I love you still," Vincent declared emphatically, his voice the epitome of his anguish.

Her eyes saddened as she looked at him. "No, you do not. Your heart belongs to another. I only wish that I had listened before…" she trailed off, shaking her head. "Did you know that Sephiroth had the most beautiful grey eyes, like granite stone, before Hojo started applying the mako?"

Vincent sucked in a deep breath, remembering his own looks before all the tests and the injections. "W--what are you saying?"

"I am not saying anything. I just wanted you to know."

The gunman paled even further, seeming to waver on his feet. "Is Sephiroth… is he…"

No matter how much he tried, his lips wouldn't form the words, and he licked his lips, eyes darting around wildly. He couldn't seem to gain a hold of himself.

He was hazily aware of the eyes on him, two pairs of eyes that watched every move and word spoken between Lucrecia and him. But his own gaze was only for her, for the woman he believed to have failed. For the very woman that he harbored guilt.

Lucrecia shook her head, taking a step backwards. "Now that he is dead, it no longer matters. And I… I must go to join him," she whispered, her body fading like she had never really been there at all.

"Wait! Lucrecia, you must tell me!" Vincent yelled in exasperation, and he ran towards her, hoping to grasp a hold of the brunette before she disappeared.

However, the scientist shook her head, tresses flying as she blinked her eyes slowly, a quiet stream trailing down her face. Her figure was near transparent now, hardly anything left of her.

"Dammit!" Vincent cursed as he stumbled towards the upraised stone where Lucrecia had been standing. "Don't you leave without telling me, dammit!"

But she was already gone.

With a heaving sob, Vincent sank to his feet, angrily striking the floor. It hurt, sending stabs of pain up his arm, but he ignored it. The agony was nothing compared to having to watch her walk away again.

"Why?" he cried, striking the floor once more, the strength of his claw enough to cause the stone to splinter beneath him. "Why can't I remember!?!"

--Do you want to remember?-- Chaos' booming voice echoed in his ears, slithering across his brain like some foul serpent. It was so loud Vincent almost believed that the demon was standing beside him.

He looked up through tear-streaked lashes at the place where Lucrecia had once stood, and for once in his meager return to existence, he begged.

"Please," Vincent whispered. "I need to remember."

Galian Beast laughed mockingly. --It won't be fun, and it won't be pretty.--

The gunman angrily shook his head, fingers curling into fists as his claw scraped at the floor. "I don't care," Vincent snapped. "I want to know the truth."

"Uh, Vince?"

He heard Cid's voice asking him tentatively if he was okay, but Vincent ignored him. His relationship, his dalliance, his _whatever _with the pilot was the last thing on his mind right now. He had to know.

--He says he wants the truth, Chaos? Should we give it to him?-- Hellmasker questioned in a vicious tone.

Chaos snorted derisively. --He is our master after all,-- the demon retorted with a touch of sarcasm to his voice. --Show him.--

They gave him no warning before Vincent suddenly felt like he was falling from a far distance, every muscle in his body going limp. Despite the fact that he knew he was kneeling on a hard surface, his entire body felt suspended. In truth, he had only blacked out. But to Cid and Cloud, it seemed like he went unconscious, slumping to the ground where…

…_Everyone, scientists and ShinRa soldiers included, were struggling to unload medical supplies and equipment off the transport truck. One person in particular seemed to be having trouble carrying a rather large and bulky box. She tripped over a rock, or perhaps it was her own feet, and swayed. Destruction and breakage was imminent until a tall, well-dressed man swooped in to aid the girl. He grabbed the box and held it for her, while she struggled to gain her balance. _

_The brown-haired scientist smiled up at him as she gingerly felt her ankle. It wasn't swelling, but it still hurt. _

"_I'd rather think that you should carry something a bit lighter," the man commented, his voice deep and smooth as his grey eyes flashed warmly. _

"_Oh, Mr. Valentine, I should think not!" the girl responded with a cheery smile. "I can't let all you men think us females are weaker!" She reached for the box, but he moved it swiftly out of range. _

_Dark hair fell into his face, courtesy of a balmy breeze. "I will carry it for you, Dr. Crescent," he intoned, grey eyes guarded but still managing to be somewhat warm. "You are hurt." _

_She waved a hand in dismissal before moving back towards the truck and grabbing another box, albeit a much smaller one. "It's nothing. Shall we then? I'll show you where to put it." _

_And so went their first encounter. Vincent was immediately attracted to the constantly smiling young woman but fought to push his feelings down. He was one of the top Turks; it was completely unprofessional of him. But her cheery demeanor was intoxicating. It managed to break through his walls of ice and encouraging him to be more open, to laugh._

_To make him want things he had never even considered before. He was even…_

…_lost in the touch of her skin, the warmth and the silky smooth texture. She moved so beautifully beneath him, as if they were made for each other. As if they were meant to be one. And her eyes glinted with feelings, adoration and kindness. _

_Vincent felt like he had stepped into something romantic, and a part of him wished that he would never wake up. He had spent so long trying to ignore what he was feeling, clinging tightly to his Turk rules and decorum. _

_Even Raven had told him to back off, had warned him against the ShinRa scientist, but Vincent couldn't stop himself it seemed. _

_She was beautiful. She made him feel. She made him want to settle down, to marry… kids even. She made him think things he had never thought before. _

_He thought he loved her. He thought he was… _

…_in the living room, sipping on red wine in a glass as he stared into the fireplace, losing himself in the flames. For some reason, fire had always fascinated him. The gentle dance of the blaze, the consuming heat--_

"_Mr. Valentine?" Lucrecia's sweet voice pierced the blackness of his thoughts. _

_Vincent turned away from the fire. As much as the flame intrigued him, he would rather move his eyes to more beautiful things. _

_He shook his head, a smile creeping into his usually impassive features. "I thought I told you to call me, Vincent," the Turk responded, though his voice was warm and gentle. _

"_You did, but it is hard to get used to." Lucrecia smiled as well. No, she wasn't just smiling, she was grinning like a Cheshire cat, as if she had the biggest secret in the world. _

_He tilted his head to the side. "Why are you so happy?" _

"_Oh, Vincent!" the scientist exclaimed, clapping her hands together in glee. "It is so wonderful!! Hojo has asked me to marry him!!"_

_His eyes widened before he could stop himself. "W--what?" he stuttered, feeling a bit lost. "But I had thought--" _

_Something started to clench inside of him, going cold… death. Lifeless. _

_Lucrecia giggled, his emotional confusion all a joke. "Oh, silly, I thought we talked about that." She smiled as she enveloped Vincent in a hug, but he was too stunned to return it. "You knew that I was in love with Hojo." _

"_Yes, but…" Ever the articulate one, Vincent Valentine for once found himself at a loss for words. She was the only one who could ever make him that way._

_The woman pulled away from the embrace and looked up at him. Hurt was evident in the grey eyes, but Vincent quickly shielded that emotion, putting up his recently torn walls with a speed that surprised even himself. _

_He could just hear Raven murmuring an "I told you so" in the background, and suddenly, all those petty one-night-stands, all those meaningless relationships came back to haunt him. _

_Karma was a bitch. _

_She shook her head. "I knew I never should have given in…"_

"_Don't bother," the Turk muttered, already withdrawing from her. "I'm a big boy; I can handle it. Congratulations." _

_He pulled away from Lucrecia and snapped up his suit jacket from the back of the couch, intent on going for a walk or something, anything to get away from the pain. Something shattered inside of him, and he knew that he had long ago lost the glue to heal it. _

"_Don't be like that," Lucrecia murmured. She reached out and grabbed Vincent's arm, trying to stop him. "Please, don't go back to the way you were. You can't stop smiling." _

_He rudely jerked it free. "Spare me your romantic drivel," Vincent muttered with his coldness, dredged up from a past of impassivity he had thought he'd forgotten. "I don't want to hear it." _

_Lucrecia's eyes filled with tears as her hands fell to her sides. She looked at him for a moment before running out of the living room, the echoes of her sobs leaving in her wake. _

_He watched her exit with a breaking heart, nearly frozen in place until he sighed and sunk down into the couch. His head fell into his hands. Why should it have surprised him? _

_To her, science had always come first. Always. And Raven had warned him. Why hadn't he listened? _

"_Very, very amusing," a cold and calculating voice echoed from one of the shadowed corners of the room. _

_Vincent felt a chill race up and down his spine. He jerked his head up, eyes immediately locking on the other person present. _

"_Hojo," he hissed. _

"_Very perceptive of you, Mr. Valentine." The scientist stepped out of the shadows, glasses reflecting enough light to give him a malevolent aura. "I always knew the little slut was running around on me. I suppose, I should have guessed it would be you. Tell me, Mr. Valentine, do you make a habit of touching things that don't belong to you?" _

_Vincent gritted his teeth and clenched his teeth in anger. "Don't talk about Lucrecia in such a disrespectful manner." _

"_Oh?" Hojo cocked an eyebrow. "And what are you going to do about it?" The scientist sauntered towards Vincent and sneered, despite the fact that the Turk was at least a half-head taller. "Absolutely nothing. I own her now. She belongs to me. Get used to it, Valentine. I win." _

_Laughing loudly, Hojo strode from the room, leaving behind a very angry Turk, and Vincent gnashed his teeth together, body trembling with rage as his…_

…_. voice was harsh and echoing in the utter stillness of Lucrecia's bedroom. The cheery curtains and bedspread did nothing to lighten the darken feel of the room._

"_Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?" he demanded, his voice echoing in the silence._

"_I didn't think it was important," she snapped in response. She forcefully yanked her wrist from his grip and wrapped her arms protectively around her waist, curling against the bed. _

"_Not important," Vincent snarled, grey eyes flashing. "The child could be mine!!" _

_Lucrecia pursed her lips, face hard and determined. "Even if it is, it wouldn't matter. We have already made our decision!" _

_He sucked in a deep breath, nausea coiling in his belly at just the thought of it. "To experiment on your own child?" Vincent exclaimed incredulously. "What kind of monster does that?" _

_He was a Turk, a murderer in all but name, but even he won't sink so low._

_She narrowed her eyes. "It is for the betterment of society. I think that it is an acceptable risk," Lucrecia answered stubbornly. _

"_No." Vincent shook his head. "I can't… I won't let you do this!! That child may be mine, and nothing of my flesh and blood will come anywhere near to Hojo's dirty hands!!" He slashed his hands through the air, ignoring the darkening of Lucrecia's features. _

_She immediately recoiled, pulling back even further. "Don't forget," Lucrecia hissed. "It is those dirty hands that touch me as well. I love Hojo, and I am going to marry him. We are going to have it, and it is going to be the subject of our research." _

"_What has he done to you!" Vincent demanded, striding forward and grabbing her by the shoulders, forcing her to look him in the eye. "The Lucrecia I knew would never have allowed this. She was kind and always smiling…" _

_He remembered how her eyes used to sparkle with kindness. Now, they were hardened by the truth of her decision. _

"_He has done nothing to me," the scientist growled, viciously pulling away yet again. "You are relying on a fraudulent memory. This is what I want." _

_He clenched his teeth. "Fine. Do whatever you want with your life." His voice became low, dangerous, even as he narrowed his gaze on hers. "But you are not harming my child." _

"_You don't even know if it is yours," she spat. _

_Vincent shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Please, Lucia, reconsider. You could die as well. This Jenova creature still isn't understood, and mako is rather unstable. Just come with me. I promise… we can have a life together." _

_He was desperate. He didn't care if she never loved him in return, but his feelings for her were so strong, so real that he couldn't bear to think of her in Hojo's arms. Or his child, for that matter, if indeed the baby was his. _

_But it seemed she was deaf to his pleas._

"_Why can't you get that through your thick, military brain? I love Hojo and not you, Mr. Valentine. And you are going to have to realize that before it's too late. Now, get out." Her voice was cold and final, as she pointed a finger towards the door, one arms still wrapped protectively around her waist. _

_As if he would ever harm a child. He wasn't Hojo._

_He sighed. "Fine. I will go. But please, promise me this one thing. Think about it… just think long and hard about what you are consenting to do." His tone was nearly pleading, and hearing such an unusual note, she almost gave in to his words. _

_Her face softened. "I will think about it, but I doubt I will change my mind," Lucrecia said, looking away swiftly. "Now, leave… _please_." The last was more of a plea. _

_He stared for all of a moment before abruptly turning on his heels and heading for the door. He paused with one hand on the knob. _

"_I love you, Lucrecia." He didn't look back as he spoke but turned the knob and walked out, closing the door gently behind him. Of course, that was only to come face to face with the object of his deepest hatred. _

"_I see you still haven't learned to keep your hands to yourself," Hojo chortled. _

"_What have you done to her?" Vincent growled, hands balling into his fists at his sides. _

_He wouldn't strike the scientist, no matter how much he wanted to. That would be playing right into Hojo's hands. He could hear Raven in his mind, cautioning him against rash decisions. _

"_Do you honestly think I need drugs to keep her near me, or are you really that brainless? I told you I would win. I always do."_

"_That could be my child," Vincent_ _ground out. _

_Hojo shrugged. "Yours. Mine. It doesn't make a difference. Either way, I have my test subject." _

"_You bastard!!" he growled. Grey eyes flashed as he unconsciously took a step towards the arrogant and merciless man. _

"_Tsk tsk," Hojo warned, wagging a finger at the Turk. "Wouldn't want to do that. You might upset Lucrecia, and in her condition, it wouldn't be wise," he simpered. _

_Vincent snarled and stormed off, knowing and hating himself for that fact but realizing that the bastard was right. His boots stormed down the hall as he sought out his best friend and partner, needing to share his anger with someone. In his ears, ringing like the sound of his own doom…_

…_Lucrecia was crying as she lay weakly on her bed. Only eight months along, the child was still draining all her energy, more like a parasite than a baby. However, the woman was certain that it was the fault of the Jenova cells. No normal pregnancy was supposed to be like this._

_Vincent paced back and forth across the floor, concern evident in his tone and face. "Look at yourself, Lucia!! You are wasting away! Whatever Hojo is doing to you and the baby is not healthy! Are you going to die for him?"_

_She coughed weakly. "I love him, Vincent. Why can't you accept that?" _

"_This has gone too far," he whispered, his broken heart feeling stomped on. "I never should have let you do this. And it's all Hojo's fault, damn him." He balled up his fists. "I am going to stop him before he kills you!" _

"_No!" she exclaimed, nearly leaping out of the bed in her desperation. She dangled precariously on the edge, latching onto the Turk's arm with what meager strength she had left. _

"_I don't care what you say anymore. I am making the decisions now," Vincent declared, carefully helping her back into the bed. _

_Tears streaked down her cheeks. "I love him, Vincent. Please, dear Kami, don't hurt him. I love my husband." She was babbling now as she clung to the Turk's arm, soaking his sleeve with her tears. _

_He looked down at her, pain evident in his features. He was caught in the prison of his own love for her._

"_Fine," Vincent acquiesced with exasperation, rubbing a finger across his suddenly aching forehead. "I won't kill the bastard, but I am going to make him stop these experiments, even if I have to burn that laboratory to the ground." _

_She sniffed, calming down with a rapid switch of emotions that left him reeling. "Leave it here then. Or you might hurt him." _

_He frowned, confusion filling his face. "What?" _

"_Leave the gun here. Or I won't let go." _

_Vincent exhaled sharply. "I don't need it to handle him." _

_He unbuckled the holster from around his chest and laid it on the dresser, checking to make sure the safety was on. The gun glinted all too unnaturally in the lamplight, and for a moment, Vincent felt a stab of uncertainty strike him. His intuition flared with indecision, and a chill of foreboding crawled up his spine. Every ounce of his Turk instinct screamed at him not to leave his weapon, shrieked that something dangerous was lurking out of sight._

_But she would never knowingly hurt him. Even if Lucrecia didn't love him as he did her, she was still a decent person. She would never do anything without good cause, and she would never let him walk into danger._

_He shook the feeling away as best he could, ignoring the sliver of dread in his heart._

_Once Lucrecia saw that he was listening to her, she released her death grip. He swiped his suit jacket off a chair and swung it back over his shoulders. His gaze flickered back to her to see that she had sunk into the bed, exhausted and sweating. She had paled even further, having depleted her strength in trying to protect Hojo._

_He sneered internally. _

_Damn his foolish heart for still caring!!_

_Without another word, Vincent strode from the room, heading for the secret entrance to the basement lab. He palmed open the door and went down the twisting stairwell, his stomach twisting with the realization that he still wasn't sure what he was about to do. Why didn't he just take Lucrecia and run? _

_He should just kill the bloody bastard, but then, he would risk losing Lucrecia's heart forever. However, if he couldn't change Hojo's mind, his Lucia was sure to die anyway. _

_Vincent stormed through the cold and dank tunnels, ignoring the lingering cobwebs and the discomfiting bead of tension to the air. He set his eyes on the door at the far end, dark metal gaining his ire as he burst into the laboratory with little ceremony._

"_Hojo!" he growled furiously. "Damn you, Hojo! Your wife is dying!" _

_The damned scientist didn't even bother to look up from his paperwork, frowning only slightly at the disturbance. "Do you mind; I am quite busy," he muttered, pen scribbling continuously over the parchment in front of him. _

"_What have you done to her?" Vincent demanded, slamming his hands onto the desk and scattering the papers to the floor. "Those experiments are killing her!"_

_The scientist shrugged, not impressed. "I cannot help that her body is not strong enough to withstand the treatments. Perhaps I shall need a stronger carrier next time." He frowned thoughtfully, shifting in his seat to dig into his desk for another pen. _

_Vincent growled and reached across the surface, grabbing Hojo by his collar and shaking him violently. "She is dying," he ground out through gritted teeth. _

"_Tsk, tsk. Temper, temper_."_ He placed one hand on Vincent's and easily pried himself free with a strength he should not have possessed. "You really should learn to respect your elders," Hojo snapped as he flung Vincent away from him. _

_The Turk stumbled several steps backwards, surprised by the sheer force of Hojo's blow. The scientist idly brushed off his lab coat and moved from behind the desk, coldly studying Vincent with his hands clasped behind his back. _

_Vincent instantly wished that he hadn't left his weapon behind with Lucrecia. The look Hojo was giving him was almost predatory and most certainly threatening. He wasn't completely defenseless, but a part of him was very uneasy. His eyes flickered to the door before returning to the scientist._

"_She loved you. She trusted you," he hissed coldly. _

_The doctor laughed. "And still does, too. Stupid little whore." His hand dipped into his pockets, and in a move too fast for the Turk to react, he produced a hand gun, firing with no warning. _

_The Turk jerked as the bullet passed through his left shoulder and left behind fiery pain. It hurt like a bitch, and he immediately clutched at his arm to staunch the bleeding. _

"_How does it feel, Valentine? To be on the receiving end of the gun?" Hojo asked, eyebrow cocked. His finger thumbed the trigger, cocking the gun for another shot, and the click echoed in the still laboratory._

"_Kami damn you to hell," Vincent gasped, agony shooting through his entire system. _

_The damned bullet had been coated in some sort of poison. He could already feel it working through his body, making his limbs twitch. _

"_You fucking monster," he bit out, breathing heavily. _

_Hojo's face flashed, an eerie grin pulling at the corner of his mouth and making him appear demonic. "Monster? I? All the work I do for science, for the advancement of mankind, and you call me monster?" He shifted position, taking one threatening step forward. "By the time I am through with you, there will be a new meaning to the word." _

_Another sole gunshot echoed in the room as the bullet slammed into Vincent's chest, and his eyes widened in shock, not expecting that Hojo would so ruthlessly kill him. _

_Red liquid gurgled up, spilling from his lips and dribbling down his chin before he stumbled. His knees buckled, and he fell forward, landing face down on the floor in a bloody mess. His consciousness started throbbing, his vision greying around the edges as he dimly registered the rest of the scientist's movements. He could feel his blood sluggishly pumping from his body, staining the tile beneath him. And he was twitching with the second dose of the unidentified poison. _

_His death would be all too soon. _

"_Hmph." Hojo dropped the gun on the desk with a loud clatter and picked up a syringe that had been sitting there when the Turk had stormed in. "Now is as good as time as ever to test this out as any," he commented to himself. _

_He knelt down beside the prone Turk. And as Vincent's thoughts turned to Lucrecia, instantly feeling like he had failed her, the needle was inserted into his neck with an agonizing prick. Hojo smirked as he injected the bubbling green and blue liquid, wishing he could hear the…_

…_piercing screech shattered the quiet, and Vincent's eyes shot open. His heart leapt into his throat as he recognized the voice. _

_Lucrecia. _

_She was in pain. _

_He had to go to her. He wanted to move his legs to break free, only to realize that he was bound. Trapped. Unable to even shift his position. _

_A look of stark realization spread across his face. _

_Mocking laughter echoed around him. "Try all you want, Valentine, but not even you can break those bonds." _

_There were so many things that Vincent wanted to call the bastard, many of them unfit for tender ears. But all that managed to come out was a slurred yet angry, "Mph… ck….jo!!" _

_It was really quite pathetic. _

"_I see your recent death has paralyzed your vocal cords. A pity." Hojo frowned, sweeping his gaze over his new test subject. "No matter. I should be able to hear your screams soon enough." _

_Another blood curdling shriek of agony echoed throughout the laboratory, though it sounded more muffled than the last time. _

_Vincent's eyes widened, lips moving in an effort to speak, but nothing emerging. _

"_Oh?" Hojo questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Hear that, can you? It's just Lucrecia. She's gone into labor you see, and with the Jenova and mako… well, I cannot be sure that pain medication will be effective. So they haven't given her any." He paused, eyes glittering at the poisonous glare being sent his way. "Yes, she is rather loud, isn't she? Too bad I never got her to scream like that for me," he mused, glasses glinting as he tilted his head._

_The scientist reached out with slender fingers and pushed the bandages on Vincent's shoulder aside, marveling at how quickly the wounds were healing. He poked a single digit into the bullet hole, reveling in the drawn out hiss that erupted from the other man's mouth. A few droplets of blood seeped out from around his fingernail before trailing off down Vincent's skin. _

_Hojo nodded approvingly. "At least, you can still feel pain. Then, I can start your second treatments. The Jenova cells did a marvelous job in restoring your life. It makes me wonder what else they are capable of." _

_The man's hand reached into one of his pockets as the other remained firmly embedded in Vincent's wound. He twisted said finger around for emphasis, causing his victim to bleed further and to twitch in discomfort. He smirked sadistically as he pulled out a vial and a syringe. _

_The crazed scientist removed his finger from Vincent's wound and prepared the syringe as his test subject watched with wide eyes. Hojo inserted the thin, sharp needle of the syringe into the glass bottle and drew out as much of the thick, green liquid as he was able. _

"_Hopefully, this will hurt," the bespectacled man commented as he leaned over the bound Turk and inserted the needle. He pressed the syringe and instantly deposited the green fluid into the squirming man. _

_Vincent's mouth opened almost immediately in a silent scream, only able to squeak with his damaged vocal cords. A blaze spread through his veins, faster than was humanly possible. A million knives jammed into his nerves, and an inferno was consuming him from the inside out. His skin was peeling; his eyes were bleeding. He just knew they were! _

_The crazed scientist had put mako into him. There was no other explanation. _

"_We'll just let that settle in for an hour or so before I add more. Otherwise, it will be ineffective. I can't have my favorite plaything dying on me too early." Hojo snickered as he walked away. _

_Vincent continued to writhe on the table, every inch of his skin that was pressed against any surface feeling like he had been put into a fire, despite the chill of the metal. _

_Another screech bounced through the halls, only to cut off abruptly. _

_Hojo's gaze turned upwards as he frowned. "Hm. That bitch better not die before the baby is born!" _

_He returned to his desk and sat down, picking up his pen to work on more notes. He completely ignored the pain-filled shrieks of his birthing wife and the twitching body of the Turk. _

_Such a pity Valentine still could not speak; he would have loved to hear his screams as…_

…_His eyes fluttered open slowly, accompanied by a low moan of exhaustion. He searched as much of the room as he could see, more than happy to find it vacant without a sign of his tormentor. Mentally, he went through a systems check. All his limbs were still there, though throbbing and aching terribly. Ankles and wrists were still bound to the table. _

_Vincent couldn't decide which he hated more: the frosty, dark, and damp cell with loose dirt and mice… or the cold, hard, restraining lab table. Either one meant torture in one shape or another. It was a decision between the greater of two evils. _

_He heard the door to the lab open with a distinctive squeak and unintentionally flinched. It was a familiar sound that he had grown to hate. The squeak of the door was momentarily accompanied by the sound of a crying child, which was quickly cut off as it slammed shut. _

_Vincent wondered briefly if that was Lucrecia's child before shuffling footsteps announced that the person who had entered was approaching. _

_It wasn't but a few moments longer before a bespectacled face leaned over to look the shackled Turk in the eye. "I hope you are proud of yourself, Valentine," Hojo muttered as he straightened and walked away from the table. He headed for one of the others, which held his instruments of torture. _

"_What the hell are you mumbling about now?" Vincent snapped, a bit of his old fire still strong within him. The insane scientist had yet to torture it out of him, mako treatments, beatings, whippings, and knives not enough. _

_Hojo did not answer at first, eyes wandering over his various instruments until he finally decided on one. He selected a medical saw and knife, among other things. The metal glinted teasingly in the fluorescent light. _

"_It is because of you that I am without a wife and Sephiroth is without a mother. All your fault," the scientist responded distractedly. He tested the sharpness of the implements that he had chosen, beaming sadistically when both managed to slice into his thumb with ease. _

"_Wh-what are you saying?" Vincent stuttered, fearing the worst. _

_The name Sephiroth was unfamiliar, but he couldn't form the words to ask, not when his heart thudded painfully in his chest at the implications of Hojo's words. _

"_Lucrecia, you idiot! She killed herself and used your gun, for that matter," the scientist snapped, but he didn't appear to be angry, more irritated. He turned away from his torture table and grabbed a stool, pulling it up alongside. _

_Vincent shook his head angrily, a motion that made all the pain inside of him well up again and his stomach curdle. "No. You are lying." _

"_You would like to hope so, wouldn't you?" Hojo smirked "Rather stupid and irresponsible of you, to leave something as dangerous as a gun lying around." _

_He moaned, "No." _

_But the denial was less strong as he relived the moment he had left his weapon behind with Lucrecia. He tried hard to fight back the tears. He didn't want the sadist to see him cry; he didn't want to give the man that pleasure. _

"_Oh, yes." Hojo nodded. "Big bloody spatter, too, all over the wall and everything. It will take the poor servants days to clean up the mess. She made quite a problem for us, mess and all, and still, the body must be disposed of." He shook his head, as if it were some big mistake. "How inconsiderate of her." _

_He laid out his implements on the table next to Vincent's body. They clattered loudly, causing the Turk to unconsciously wince. _

"_Bastard!" Vincent ground out, hoping his anger would supersede his grief enough that he could hold back the tears. _

_He felt the cold, thin fingers on his arm but paid them no attention, his mind only recalling the last he saw of his dear Lucrecia. He still had illusions of escaping, rescuing his lover and her child, somehow getting free, running far away, perhaps to Bone Village. They could live there happily… as a family. _

_His dreams were quickly shattered as a sudden and abrupt pain raced through his entire arm. It felt as if someone had taken a saw to his arm… _

_Shit! Someone had!! _

_Grey eyes looked down in wide surprise to find that Hojo was methodically cutting on his arm with no anesthesia. Another stroke of the saw, and Vincent arched off the table in agony. It was so intense that his scream was caught in his throat and wouldn't come out. That was the last straw; his tears began to flow freely. _

_Lucrecia, his dear Lucia was dead, and Hojo was taking his dominant hand, the one with which he wrote, shot, and depended on. There was no escaping the madness; there was no mistaking the pain. _

_Hojo began to hum a tune that Vincent instantly recognized and knew he would instantly hate for the rest of his life. It was from an opera, the __Phantom of the Opera_

_How very ironic._

_Another scrape of the saw against his flesh, the feel of warm liquid flowing freely, and Vincent was lost within his mind. Tears snaked down his face, and he shrieked until his voice was lost. _

"_And by the way Valentine," Hojo added, almost as an afterthought. "The child is mine."_

_The tears came without pause, his brain short-circuiting, and it all dwindled down into lunacy as… _

…_He woke to the strange feeling of being watched. But it wasn't the same piercing and smirking gaze of Hojo; instead, that of curiosity. Vincent barely stirred on the table, exhausted beyond belief as he struggled to open his weary eyes. He first registered that it was darker than usual in the laboratory, which meant that Hojo was out. _

_There was silence around him, except for the quiet, barely noticeable sound of a person breathing. The table beneath him was cold to his bare flesh, and pain flared all too loudly in his left arm, but Vincent pushed past that, determined to locate the voyeur. With great effort, he tilted his head to the side, only to have his face pale with shock. _

_Mako eyes stared back at him, smaller than they would be for a man. Vincent was barely able to make out shining silver hair, the color of molten metal, and delicate, almost androgynous features. He was dressed in little more than a hospital gown, certainly too thin to fight against the chill of the lab._

_It was a child, barely more than three years old, he discerned. A child with mako eyes, which meant that it could have only been one person. _

"_Sephiroth?" he rasped, hating how weak his voice came out and wishing he wasn't tied down to a lab table, naked as the day he was born. He knew that he looked a mess, his body covered in blood and stains, having not bathed in days. _

_The child didn't answer, and Vincent's heart throbbed at just the sight of him. With just one glance, he could tell that the boy was Lucrecia's son. He had the same look to him, the same gentle features. He wondered if Sephiroth was his child, not that it would have mattered either way. Even if the boy had Hojo's genes within him, he still wouldn't wish such a fate on anyone. _

"_He said you killed my mother." _

_The words pierced the darkness before Vincent was ready for them. He blinked. _

"_I… what?" _

_The boy stared at him, unflinching. Even eerily unblinking. _

_He repeated himself, "He said that you killed my mother. That you were being punished for it." _

_His words were cultured, intelligent for a boy so young. Vincent couldn't help, but wonder what atrocities Hojo had forced his son to endure. The pain in those young eyes did not belong there. _

_Shame flooded the Turk's face. He couldn't deny Sephiroth the truth. _

"_I did," he admitted, voice barely above a whisper. "I loved her, but I killed her." He paused, sucking in as deep a breath as he could muster, though the sharp, stabbing pain in his ribs prevented in from fully breathing. "I truly loved her." He felt tears prickle at the back of his eyes, and he closed them, unwilling to cry in front of the child._

_He could still feel Sephiroth's eyes on him. There was a moment of silence. _

"_I don't believe you," Sephiroth suddenly declared, sounding very much like a child in that moment. "Why?" _

_Vincent choked, swallowing thickly. "Not on purpose," he tried to assure the boy. "I wouldn't have done it on purpose. Hojo… is a bad man." _

_He jerked as the unusual sensation of a gentle touch slid along the wrapped arm pinned at his side. His eyes flung open as Sephiroth regarded his mangled limb with an interested expression. _

_There was knowledge in those young, bright eyes. Knowledge that was far too old. _

"_I know." Sephiroth admitted quietly before raising his gaze to Vincent. "It hurts." _

_Vincent couldn't be certain if Sephiroth was referring to his own aches or Vincent's. And he never got the chance to find out. _

_In that moment, the light flickered on without warning, and Sephiroth snapped his hand back like he had been bitten. His gaze darted to the side, eyes widening almost imperceptibly as he took stock of the furious Hojo striding his direction. _

"_I told you not to leave your room, boy!" the scientist snarled, spittle flecking from his lips. He stalked across the room and gripped the boy's arm, shaking it roughly. "Didn't I tell you about this man?" he demanded. "He is a murderer." _

"_Stop," Vincent rasped, unable to watch as Hojo shook the child so violently that he swore he could hear bones cracking. "You're hurting him." _

_Instantly, Hojo's attention was turned towards him. He didn't release Sephiroth, only tightened his grip enough to cause Sephiroth to wince._

"_He is my subject. You, who are nothing, have no right to say anything to me," the scientist hissed, abruptly turning on his heels and dragging Sephiroth with him. "Come, boy, it is time for your treatment." _

_Vincent didn't regret his own weakness as much as he did in that very moment. He struggled against his bonds, wishing his limbs weren't so very tired, wishing he had just the simplest bit of strength. _

_It was unacceptable. It was cruel and yet, there was nothing he could do. He was only human, and no human could break the metal clasps. _

_He collapsed against the table with a gasping breath and his body sweating from the fifteen second exertion. He screamed, a cry of rage escaping his mouth for his helplessness. _

_It was his fault, _his fault._ He had failed all of them. He had failed Lucrecia, and now… another life was going to be ruined, and there was nothing he could do. It was as if…_

…_the low sound of hard metal striking flesh and bone echoed throughout the empty laboratory. It was a nauseating sound, which made Vincent's stomach drop, even as he reeled from the pain. Hojo had taken a wrench to his head, and he had no chance to avoid the blow. _

_Vincent reeled and crashed to the floor on his hands and knees, already feeling the blood trickle down the side of his face. It was warm, wet… sticky as he gasped. His left arm was still wrapped in bandages, not that they helped to contain the blood that continuously flowed. The lacerated arm ached and throbbed, and despite all attempts, he couldn't distract himself from the agony. _

"_I said down on your knees," the scientist hissed. "Have you grown deaf?"_

_Vincent groaned and struggled to rise, fighting against the repulsive throbbing in his head, the smell of blood so thick on the air, he could taste it. But his legs would not support him and he wobbled. His bared, pale skin seemed even more translucent under the flickering fluorescent lights of the secret laboratory. _

_His breath escaped him as he collapsed forward on the floor, landing heavily on his knees. His chin cracked onto the cold marble as his hands reflexively went to his stomach. Damn sadistic bastard had just kicked him in the ribs, and in one of his wounds from the games of the day before no less. Stars danced in front of his eyes and his vision was flooded with blood from his own head. _

"_What nothing to say? No snappy comeback? Have I finally broken the great Vincent Valentine?" Hojo demanded in a mocking tone. Vincent could hear the scientist shuffling around but couldn't master the energy to look up and see what he was doing. _

"_Go… to hell…" Vincent managed, grunting out the words. _

"_I believe that is your destination… not mine. However, it does appear that you haven't learned your manners, yet." _

_The Turk sucked in a ragged breath, trying to push himself to his feet. His eyes opened blearily and he took in the drops of his blood on the cold floor beneath him. Such a startling contrast, the bright crimson against the sterile white--_

_He vaguely heard the sound of a zipper being undone before he felt the cold, thin hands on his hips. They jerked him violently backwards, making his neck whiplash. He heard a sickening wet snap and blinding pain shot through his neck and he struggled to keep himself up on arms that were trembling violently. _

_Nails dug sharply into his skin and something hard probed at his backside. Instinctively, he lashed out with one of his feet, trying to ignore the pain in his aching head or the feel of the fingers cutting into his skin. _

_He connected with something, unsure of what body part he had struck on the scientist. Vincent heard a sharp intake of breath moments before the same wrench from before cracked on his spine, sending him crashing loosely to the floor, dangling from a powerful grip. His head spun and he fought down the nausea that was creeping up on him. Blood filled his mouth and he spat onto the floor, his lip bleeding consistently now that he had bitten it._

"_Why?" Hojo ground out raggedly. "Why does your pain become my pleasure?" _

_Through the haze of pain and numbness, the Turk barely registered the tightening of grips on his hip or the prodding hardness again. Hojo shoved forward, ripping him apart with no regard. There was no preparation, there was no lubrication, only sheer tearing as his back arched and a bestial howl of pain escaped his lips before he could stop it. It felt as if he were being split in two as Hojo gave him no time for rest, pounding into his body mercilessly. Blood coursed down the backs of his thighs, splattering garishly against the cold, tiled floor. _

"_Why do I hate you so much?" Hojo growled as he thrust violently, digging his nails deep into the flesh of his victim. "I want you to suffer! I want you to die slowly? Why?" _

"_AUGH!" The shriek poured from his lips before he could stop it and his knees buckled. He was weak, his body beyond the brink of normal survivability. His mind remained active as he endured, his fingers scraping at the floor, nails tearing off in his frantic attempt to get away from a grip that was too strong for a normal scientist. _

_He grit his teeth, clamping down on any further cries, even if it meant biting off his own tongue. He vowed to himself that one day he would kill Hojo, even if it meant coming back from the dead. His mind separated from his body and he began to hide then, becoming someone, something else. He buried his thoughts and his sanity within the darkness as Hojo gleefully violated him. _

_And when the bastard spilled himself deep inside, Vincent vowed vengeance, even as Hojo pulled out and kicked his used and battered body to the floor. He had no strength to catch himself and his head smacked wetly against the tile-covered concrete. His entire body shuddered and he vomited when he felt the wet slime of the scientist's release leak from his body. _

"_Perhaps now you will stop resisting…" Hojo growled, as he spat on the broken body. "But then again. It wouldn't be quite so fun if you broke completely. Cackling the scientist walked away, leaving the Turk crumpled on the floor for a moment. "It's always better when they fight back, despite the fact there is no hope. Humans are such predictable creatures."_

_He laughed, and his words echoed, like a mantra of sadism on and on within the Turk's mind. He couldn't block them out, no matter how hard he tried. He would never be able to forget the sound of Hojo's voice as he…_

…_looked down at his prisoner._

"_Well, Mr. Valentine. And how are we doing today?" _

_The rhetorical question was saccharine sweet. It made him shudder to the core.  
_

_Vincent was strapped to the lab table. His appearance had changed, skin almost like ivory, hair just beyond his shoulders. Only his eyes remained the same, still a granite grey. And now, on his left arm, where previously there was flesh and blood, a metallic claw rested. The edges gleamed in the bright light. _

_He didn't respond to the doctor's question, just stared at him blankly. _

"_Still as unresponsive as ever, I see." _

_The scientist held up a hand, four small, round globes easily visible. They glowed in grayish-black tones and gave off a cold aura. _

"_Do you know what these are Valentine?" _

_The Turk didn't even blink. _

_Hojo shook his head. "Of course, you don't. These are summon materia, though they don't look it. And a special type, for that matter. Have you ever heard of the Four Demons of the Apocalypse?" _

_The silence was harsh. _

_Hojo merely shrugged. He set the materia orbs down on Vincent's chest. The Turk's breathing was barely perceptible, so they didn't even move. Hojo puttered about, continuing to talk to the unresponsive man._

"_Chaos, Hellmasker, Gigas, and Galian Beast, these are the great demons set to bring about the world's end. Unfortunately for them, they were bound into these orbs to be locked away for all eternity." The scientist snickered as he selected a few surgical tools. "And fortunately for me, I found them. In the Lost Grounds, no less." _

_He grunted as he deposited the implements he had gathered and gave a grin of satisfaction as they clattered on to the table next to the half-dressed Turk. Vincent gave the slightest of winces, which only served to amuse the deranged man further._

"_And now, I think I have found the perfect host for them. My own little monster," Hojo mused aloud, appreciatively eyeing the body spread out on the table. _

_Grey eyes widened ever-so-slightly, just a bare twitch in his impassive expression. What else could the scientist do to him that he hadn't already? _

_He had taken away his pride, his freedom, his dignity, his love. There wasn't much left. _

_Hojo snatched the four materia off the Turk's chest with one hand, gently laying them on the table next to his implements. He carefully selected an instrument, hand stroking the metal lovingly as he pondered where exactly he wanted to place the summons. _

_He tapped each spot as he considered aloud. "Perhaps here?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, jabbing the Turk's right shoulder. "Or here?" A tap to the left leg. "Here?" Another to the abdomen. "Here?" A tap to the breast over the sluggishly beating heart. He could feel the Turk trembling faintly beneath him and couldn't help the smile that broke out on his face. _

"_Scared are we, Mr. Valentine?" _

_When Vincent didn't respond, the scientist's face twisted into a sneer, and he ran the edge of his knife over Vincent's skin, raising up welts that bled freely. _

"_I should think… here!" He suddenly drove the knifepoint down hard into the lower part of the gunman's sternum, directly into the solar plexus. _

_Vincent's back arched from the table; his mouth opened in a silent scream, but he couldn't breathe. It had been stolen from his body. With malicious glee, the doctor twisted the blade around in Vincent's body. He waited a moment, watching the blood gush out, before removing the scalpel and setting it down on the counter. _

_Hojo grabbed the black materia, and one by one, he inserted them into the bleeding hole in Vincent's sternum. He then picked up a syringe filled with a mixture of Jenova cells and mako, injecting the fluid into the wound. _

"_I'm going to make you the perfect weapon, my own little monster," Hojo hissed._

_Almost immediately, the Turk could feel the effects of the materia. Still gasping for breath, eyes shut tight, and fists clenched at the sides, he struggled to control the convulsions and the cold fire racing through his system. His attempts failed as suddenly his body flailed about on the table, nearly breaking the restraints as the hole began to close. _

_He managed to draw in a shuddering breath, only to release it in a keening shriek that echoed around the lab, drawing a bemused smile out of Hojo. His eyes fluttered, and the scientist watched with rapt fascination as the brilliant granite grey was slowly overtaken by a crimson flood._

_Stars burst behind his eyelids, and there was pain, so much pain. An icy coldness settled in his limbs as voices started to whisper in his mind and in his soul. They called for blood and destruction, for the slaughter of all living kind. And then, he realized that there had been one thing Hojo had not taken from him. _

_His humanity, which was now drowning in a sea of blood-soaked talons. _

_There were eyes, burning scarlet and a clawed hand stained with blood reaching… reaching for him…_

_He screamed._

_Kami, help him, but he screamed._

* * *


	30. Perennial

**Chapter Thirty: Perennial**

"Even after I saw all those horrible events that were supposed to be my memories, I still didn't remember them. It wasn't until I woke up that it all came crashing down; my memories attacked my senses until I was drowning in them. Chaos took that moment of weakness to try to break free." Vincent shook his head, trying to forget what it was he now remembered.

Cid didn't respond. He laid motionless on the bed next to Vincent, arms crossed behind his head as he tried to absorb all the information that his lover was relaying to him. He never knew that a human being could be so monstrous, so demonic. Truthfully, he wasn't sure if there was anything he could say to take away the pain so evident in the gunman's eyes.

Honestly, what did one say when those types of things were revealed?

Rape… torture… death and resurrection… experimentation…

It was almost too much for him to absorb.

Cid felt like he had stepped into something beyond him; he felt like he would somehow screw up along the way and hurt Vincent even further. Not that he would abandon Vincent at this point. He just wished he knew what to say or even do, for that matter.

The gunman closed his eyes, as if waiting for a response that did not come.

Sighing softly, he continued, "Sometimes, when I close my eyes even now, the images return and the sensations. I can still remember how everything felt. I may not remember color or sound, but I can still taste and feel every bit of that man's handiwork. They are what I can no longer forget, flashing through my mind continuously, reminding me of my faults and failures." His hands clenched at his side, though he didn't appear to notice.

Vincent sighed wearily before turning towards Cid, eyes carefully taking in the man's expression. He wasn't sure how to interpret the flutter of emotions across Cid's face.

"There, I have told you my past. Are you satisfied now?"

"No," the Captain responded stubbornly as he sat up in bed. He shifted towards Vincent, hands itching to do something; he just didn't know what.

Vincent wasn't a broken engine; he couldn't simply take a tool to him and twist a few loose screws. He couldn't simply add a few more quarts of oil and give Vincent a kick. And Cid was certain he didn't want to screw things up.

Crimson eyes blinked. "Excuse me?" Vincent demanded, pushing himself from the bed as he all but sneered.

Cid's words had almost sounded like a slap in the face. What more did the pilot want from him? Step by step descriptions of every painful event in his life?

"I said no," Cid repeated as his eyes softened. "Why in hell would I be satisfied to learn that my best friend was murdered then raped and tortured?"

Vincent winced, his gaze falling away. "Best friend. That's all?" he asked, wondering why it hurt so much to hear it put like that.

All he had done was push Cid away, but a part of him obviously wanted more. The part that still wanted to believe there was such a thing as love and that maybe he was worthy of it, too. Regardless of the fact that he had already failed Lucrecia… and Sephiroth.

Cid rolled his eyes, exasperation filling his tone. "You know better than that," he retorted sharply. "I already told your stubborn Turk ass once."

Vincent shook his head and moved into a more comfortable position, wincing when feeling returned to his elbow. "You are wrong."

The pilot frowned as he moved to pile the pillows up against the headboard. "About what?"

"Even knowing, you still insist that there is enough left of me to be human, despite having died once and being joined with several demons."

Cid furrowed his brow. "You know, I don't too much like all these negative thoughts. You're human, and that's all there is to it, in spite of whatever that creep Hojo told you or did to you."

Vincent appeared to contemplate that statement before responding in turn, his voice peculiar and vague. "There is something indescribably eerie and morbid in the dark. Although you cannot see a thing, oftentimes, the mind makes up figures and sound. Even if the dark is so cloying, so clinging that you cannot hear, taste, see, feel… you still want to imagine that you are alive. That you exist."

"Wha-- what?" Cid asked, even more confused than before.

The ex-Turk leaned his head back and looked up at the ceiling. "The first time I was locked in that cell, I was still able to dream of hope and freedom. I still thought that I could save her. The first time wasn't so bad; neither were the second and the third. However, the fourth… in the fourth, I was forgotten. I cannot say how long I was in there because time does not pass the same there as it does elsewhere, but for a moment, I nearly believed I no longer existed."

"Vince…" the pilot trailed off, uncertain of what to say.

Vincent lowered his gaze. "That is why I say that you can never understand me or anything else around me."

Cid rolled his eyes. "You're such an idiot," he mumbled, sidling closer to the gunman and reaching for him.

Vincent sighed heavily and leaned exhaustively against the bed frame. "Cid, I am not in the mood."

Snorting, Cid ignored him and wrapped his fingers around Vincent's arm, tugging him closer. He pulled Vincent into a warm hug, in spite of the ex-Turk's protests, and held him chest to back.

"I'm not trying to fuck ya, Vince. I'm trying to comfort you."

Vincent exhaled loudly but allowed himself to relax into the embrace. It was indeed comforting, soothing his frazzled nerves and emotions. However, he didn't want to, and that was the problem. He didn't need to depend on anyone else, but Cid made it so easy.

Still, Vincent relented. "Thank you, Cid."

Cid grinned and settled back more comfortably against the bed. He mused silently, recalling some of what the ex-Turk had told him before speaking again.

"You know, Vince, you really--"

"Don't," the gunman interrupted quietly, his voice a simple but firm command.

Cid gazed at him in surprise, but Vincent did not turn to look at him.

"Don't try to tell me that it is not my fault, that I am not to blame, or that there was nothing I could do. I don't want false words of comfort. I spent thirty years alone with my thoughts, and there is no other conclusion."

The blond clamped his mouth shut. Vincent was too damn stubborn!

Not that he was going to give up in the slightest. He was still convinced there was something he could do. It was inconceivable to believe that he would ever give up. It wasn't in his vocabulary.

Yet, for the moment, he would content himself with holding Vincent, if only to prove that he could and would.

"There is still one thing I am confused about," Cid said some time later.

"What?"

Cid chuckled, tracing one finger over the abdomen just below his touch. "Why did my kissing you stop Chaos?"

The body of the ex-Turk froze for a moment as he contemplated the answer.

In truth, when Cid had kissed him, that very touch had called to Vincent locked inside his internal struggle. If it hadn't been for the feelings already in his heart, the kiss wouldn't even have mattered.

However, Vincent wasn't sure if he wanted to reveal all that just yet to Cid. It would be admitting truths he wasn't quite ready to reveal to himself or any one else.

"Chaos is not a fan of affection. You scared him," Vincent answered drolly, knowing humor would be the perfect distraction away from the truth of the matter.

It worked, just as he knew it would.

"No shit?" Cid laughed, shaking his head incredulously. "I knew nothing could resist the ole Highwind charm."

Vincent fought the urge to roll his eyes childishly. "If you say so," he responded and gradually allowed himself to relax in Cid's arms, feeling very drowsy and warm. There was comfort here and a distinct feeling of safety, not that the ex-Turk needed someone to protect him.

Yet, needing and desiring were two entirely different things, and Vincent wasn't sure if he wanted to face that discussion within himself.

He settled into Cid's touch and allowed himself to calm.

'Just this once,' he told himself. 'It won't hurt to let go, just this once.' His body gradually unwound from its tense grip on clarity as he slipped into a sleep that was devoid of his usually haunting nightmares.

However, it was a very confused and troubled pilot that still sat there awake. He had known Vincent was withholding something, contrary to the man's belief that he had steered Cid away. But as with all things concerning the gunman, Cid knew when to push and when to back away. He sensed that it was one of those times, and he simply took a step back and waited for Vincent to work out whatever it was he was mulling over on his own.

Nevertheless, the blond's stomach twisted as he thought about everything that Vincent had told him. A certainty that he loved the man suddenly rose up in him so strongly that he wasn't sure what to do with it. And accompanying it came a surge of anger… no, hatred, a loathing for the ShinRa scientist who had ruined Vincent's life, among others.

And even the brief mention of Sephiroth, a man Cid was sure he was supposed to hate, made him want to rethink his evaluation of the former General. After all, how much of what he had become was a result of Hojo's actions?

Now, Cid was left with a dilemma; how could he help heal what Hojo had broken?

It wasn't an easy or simple task, and he knew that he couldn't screw up anywhere along the way. Otherwise, Vincent would be lost to him forever.

But Cid had no clue where to begin, and he knew that Vincent wouldn't be entirely receptive, if he even explained such a plan.

The question remained then: how was he going to help the man who had stolen his heart?

---

"What about Cid and Vinny?" Yuffie asked as she skipped out of the airship.

She followed behind Cloud, Nanaki, Bugenhagen, and Barret. They had landed just on the outskirts of the City of the Ancients, leaving behind the faintly whirring airship. The sky above them threatened rain, but none of the group seemed to notice or care, more important items on their agenda.

Ahead of her, Cloud rolled his eyes. "They don't need to come. Reeve can call if he needs help," he declared firmly, his jaw set with a rising irritation. He had known it would happen sooner or later but had hoped for later. He didn't really care what the others did on their own time.

"What d'you think this key is going to do?" Barret muttered, looking skeptically at the large object in his hand.

It was heavy and jagged, but certainly didn't look like anything absolutely vital to defeating Meteor or Sephiroth.

Cloud turned and barely glanced at the object before shrugging. "Save the world, if we are lucky." He couldn't help the sardonic tone.

The ancient piece of rock didn't look any more important than the rest of the boulders scattering the landscape around them.

Yuffie snorted. "Right. One stone piece of crap is gonna stop Sephiroth and Meteor." She waved a hand through the air dismissively, idly twirling a small chakram on her other fingers.

"Never know unless you try," Nanaki responded, a surprisingly encouraging expression on his face. He gently nudged the ninja's arm, and she smiled.

They entered the Ancient's city with an almost nervous aura. All wondered what would happen the moment they used the key. There was a disconcerting quiet that had settled around them, not only because of the uncertainty they were about to embark on but also because of the events earlier in the day when Vincent had gone… well, crazy.

"Cloud?" Yuffie began slowly, trying to gather their leader's attention.

The group was currently traveling the shortest path to the mysterious platform, where the music box was located.

He glanced over his shoulder. "Yes?"

"Why do you think… Vincent… is he… do you think that he will be alright?" Yuffie questioned, unsure of what exactly it was she was trying to ask. There were so many questions she had about the incident, and it seemed no one else was going to ask them for her.

Cloud sighed, suddenly feeling the need to rub his head, although the aching hadn't yet begun. "That's not the issue right now. First, we need to figure out what this key does." Tension returned to his entire body.

The girl drooped. For some bizarre reason she had thought that for once their illustrious leader would have something encouraging and explanatory to say. Apparently, that still hadn't changed.

The ninja sighed with a mix of anger and sadness and kicked the ground at her feet, dislodging a random pebble. It skittered across the ground with a few clacks before disappearing into a ditch.

The Wutaiian felt a warm hand settle on her right shoulder. She looked up and found Nanaki smiling softly at her, his amber eyes shining.

"He will be fine. He is with Cid, after all."

Yuffie giggled, despite herself. "I wonder what they are doing. Something naughty, ya think?"

If Cid and Vincent thought they were being discreet, Yuffie felt she ought to reeducate them. A bright, scarlet cloak was pretty distinguishable, especially when it was slipping out of Cid's room in the early morning, Yuffie's usual prowling time.

Nanaki tried his best to look horrified at her suggestion, his hand still on her. "Such things from a child!" he teased, remembering his own brush with the two men and their "secret" relationship.

The ninja appeared to pout. "So you think I'm a child?"

Nanaki smiled and patted her shoulder. "If you are, so am I." His voice seemed to lose the happy tone. "Yet, children do not fight in battles with monsters--"

"Yo, Cloud! What are we gonna do about Cid and Vincent?" Barret blurted out suddenly, interrupting their conversation.

"Do?" Cloud repeated, raising an eyebrow. He stopped suddenly and angled his body so that he could look back at the group.

The others drew to a halt, watching the exchange with interest.

Barret nodded, his eyes darting towards the far away city before flitting back. "Yeah. You saw it; everyone did," he insisted.

It went without saying what exactly Barret meant.

Cloud shrugged, figuring the best way to handle the situation was to pretend it didn't happen. "I didn't see anything." He turned and started walking back towards the City of the ancients.

"What?" Barret fumed.

Cloud might be a little dense and sometimes a bit on the stupid side, but the kid wasn't blind. He knew their leader had seen that kiss!!

"I think that what your leader is attempting to say," Bugenhagen interjected quietly, "is that it is perhaps none of your business… or his, for that matter."

Barret's gaze flickered to the old man. "Like hell it ain't our business! They been sneakin' around behind our backs!"

Nanaki rolled his eyes. "Yes, because having a relationship is the same thing as plotting treason and stealing Gil when you're not looking," he sniped, growing irritated with Barret's obstinacy.

"Unless, Mr. Wallace, you have something against homosexuality?" Bugenhagen questioned, his tone light and cheery but holding an edge of disproval.

Dark eyes narrowed. "I ain't said nothin' like that."

"Then, what are you saying?" Yuffie asked, bouncing on the heels of her feet.

Nanaki shifted to stand beside her, wondering exactly the same thing.

Barret spluttered, suddenly sensing that everyone was not on the same page as him, "I'm just saying that--"

"It's not important," Cloud quickly interjected, slashing his hand through the air as he stepped between the members of his crew. Honestly, he spent so much time mediating arguments that it was a wonder Meteor hadn't fallen already.

Mako eyes shifted to Barret. "If you've got something to say, say it to them," he stated lowly, jerking a finger towards the key that Barret held. "But right now, we've got to figure out what that does and save the world. Got it?"

Barret's jaw worked soundlessly for a moment, anger darkening his expression as Cloud spoke to him like he were a child. He was far too old for that. If it weren't for his respect for the blond, grudgingly given but now earned, he would have punched him in the face for such disregard.

"Got it?" Cloud repeated, searching for an answer.

Barret scowled as he whirled on his heel and stalked ahead of the blond, his boots making heavy thumps in the hard-packed dirt. "Yeah, I got it," he growled, shifting the position of the key until it balanced on his shoulder. "Let's go."

Cloud watched his departure for a moment, something strange glinting in his expression as he turned to follow. One gloved hand came up to idly rub at his head as Bugenhagen moved to float at his side, ready to begin a quiet conversation about the origins of the key and its possible uses.

Behind them, Nanaki and Yuffie exchanged glances. "That went well," the demi-human remarked with just a touch of sarcasm.

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "Barret's just stubborn. What does it matter when Cid and Vinny love each other?" she asked rhetorically.

Nanaki paused mid-step, turning to look back at her. "You think?"

She grinned. "Of course. They just haven't realized it yet." Her hand dipped into her pocket, pulling out another chakram to twirl on her finger.

Her friend stared a moment before chuckling and ruffling a hand over her hair. "You're more romantic than you think," he commented as he shifted his weight and started after the others.

Yuffie scowled, shaking her head to put her hair back in place. "Am not," she retorted, purely on principle alone.

"Are, too."

---

"He's sleeping, I assume?" Reeve asked, stepping into the common room. His eyes immediately fell on Cid, who was sitting at the table and staring blankly into space.

"Eh?" the blond mumbled, looking up from his nearly empty cup of coffee. He blinked in recognition. "Oh, it's just you." The pilot nodded vaguely. "Yeah, bout twenty minutes ago."

Reeve wandered over to the coffee machine and dug into his pocket for some change. He found the desired coins and flipped them easily into the machine, waiting for his mocha to finish. The machine gurgled, and the wonderful smell of coffee filled the air with its rich aroma.

"The others go to the city?" the Captain asked, fiddling with his half-empty cup. He continued staring at the tabletop.

The ex-executive hummed thoughtfully. "Yes, hopefully the key will reveal something… anything."

Cid lifted his head, blue eyes peering at the other man. "Why'd they leave you behind?"

Reeve shrugged. "Does it matter?" He smiled faintly as the coffee finished with a slight gurgle and picked it up. He wandered over to Cid's table and pulled up a seat, sliding into it with a barely restrained sigh. He was getting far too old for gallivanting around in an airship.

The pilot didn't answer, instead taking another drink from his cup.

Reeve took that opportunity to study the younger man a bit closer. Indeed, the pilot was looking more tired than usual. Dark circles were beginning to ring his normally bright eyes, and there was a definite slump to his shoulders. Not to mention that his typical jacket was missing.

"So he is okay now?" Reeve asked, changing the subject.

Cid leaned back in his seat, hand tracing nonsense circles around the rim of his cup. "As well as can be expected." He exhaled slowly. "Everyone knows then?"

"Knows what? According to Cloud, he didn't see anything." Reeve took a sip of his coffee.

Cid's brow furrowed in confusion. "What's that mean?" he asked.

Trust Cloud to make some vague statement that was supposed to solve everything.

"I won't even presume to guess."

The pilot snorted. "Tch. You are getting as bad as Vince with those mysterious answers." He shifted in his seat, frowning at his drink, as if it were to blame for his confusion.

Reeve couldn't help the grin that broke out on his face, though he tried to hide it behind his mug. "How are _you_ doing? Getting enough sleep?"

Cid opened his mouth to answer when a sudden sound disturbed the two. It was someone's PHS ringing to the tune of the chicken dance. The pilot's eyebrow rose in question because he absolutely knew that the ridiculous sound did not belong to him. He had something a bit more modest on his phone.

Reeve appeared somewhat embarrassed as he reached down into his pocket and pulled out the tiny phone.

"Chicken dance?" Cid asked quizzically.

"Don't ask." Reeve shook his head as he glanced at the display, and surprise registered on his face as he rushed to answer. The ex-executive stood up from the table as he pressed the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

Cid shot him a confused look. Who could possibly be calling who would make Reeve act like this?

Waving his hand in dismissal at the pilot, the other man turned his back to Cid and lowered his voice. "Why are you calling me?" Reeve paused. "What if they catch you?"

Cid strained his ears to try to hear the voice of the caller. If he listened hard enough he could just barely make out some of the conversation.

"Just be careful?" Reeve paused again. "Listen, R-I mean, look about Junon…"

"_Yeah, I know… but…_"

"No, I am sorry, too. It doesn't have to be this w--"

"_Yes… but… know…_"

Reeve's shoulders sagged.

Cid moved forward just a bit more, insanely curious. His chair squeaked, and he winced, but Reeve didn't seem to notice as the blond craned his ears to eavesdrop. He couldn't recognize the voice, what snatches of it he heard, but he might be able to pick up clues.

"I do know. Why don't you leave?"

"_What… come… there?_"

"Yes, that is exactly what I am saying." Reeve was silent for a second. "I don't know! I'll think of something!"

"_Like what?_"

"It doesn't matter. I'm tired of being without you, worrying about what's going to happen everyday."

"_I worry about you, too. You're… so much…_"

Reeve sighed, rubbing a tired finger over his forehead. "Look, I'm sorry. I understand." He paused. "Okay. Be careful." He shifted where he stood, one hand wrapping around his abdomen.

"_I will… you._"

"Love you, too."

The last was murmured almost too quietly for Cid to hear, and before Reeve could turn around, Cid hastily moved back into place, appearing completely indifferent. The last line made it incredibly easy to figure out who was on the other end.

Still, it was Reeve's secret to keep, so Cid left his mouth shut.

Slowly, Reeve brought his hand down and closed his phone before slipping it into his pocket. His shoulders seemed to hitch, but he didn't say anything.

"So… who was that?" the pilot questioned gently and nonchalantly, not that he believed Reeve would actually answer.

"Eh?" Reeve repeated as he slowly turned back around and sat back down at the table. "A friend."

"Seemed like more than that," Cid responded, finishing the last of his coffee as he reached to light up a cigarette. He gave the older man a knowing look.

"You wouldn't have been eavesdropping now, would you?" the ex-executive asked dryly.

Sky blue eyes rolled. "Kinda hard not to when all you did was turn around." He narrowed his gaze on the other man. "I'm your friend, ya know."

Reeve exhaled wearily. "I know," he responded. "But I am tired. I think I'm going to go rest." He rose from the table, grabbing his mostly untouched coffee as he did. "You should consider getting some as well."

Cid snorted and watched as Reeve left the room. Everyone had his or her secrets, after all.

---

Yuffie always liked the Ancient's city. It reminded her of the some of the older sections of Wutai, especially the very old temples to Dao-Chao and other nearly forgotten deities.

And the room with the music box was one of the most interesting. There were stairs that appeared to lead nowhere, platforms with no possible access. That wasn't mentioning the odd podium in the middle, destined to have some unknown purpose, or the light streaming in from above, illuminating the center in a dim glow. She still hadn't figured out where it was coming from either.

Presently, the members of AVALANCHE stood around the center platform as Bugenhagen left them and floated towards the ledge that held the music box. He carried the key with him, holding it as if it weighed no more than a pebble, despite the fact that Barret had trouble lugging it himself. Even more intriguing was the fact that the old man appeared to be floating, near to flying.

Bugenhagen landed with a soft pat to the platform before gliding towards the strange keyhole. "Here goes nothing," he called out as he thrust the key into the music box.

It clicked into place with an audible snap, and a strange treble of power reverberated outwards.

Almost immediately, a light and gentle music began to play through the air as a cascade of water fell down onto the center platform. All those present jumped away to avoid being drenched, and try as they might, nothing could be seen within the waterfall, though it was obvious that something inside was growing a brilliant green.

"What happened?" Yuffie stared with amazement as the cascade of silvery water that seemed never ending. Having been splashed, she knew that it was lukewarm. Further, the liquid seemed to sparkle, catching the light from above and sending rainbows across the cracked walls enclosing the area.

The ex-SOLDIER rolled his eyes. "Something worked, obviously," Cloud commented as he straightened from where he had knelt. "But what?"

Above them, the old sage floated from the music box to the central platform. He didn't even hesitate as he plunged into the waterfall to see what was beyond.

"Oh, my!" came his startled response.

The four members of AVALANCHE scrambled to climb up the stairs and see what had surprised Bugenhagen into exclamation.

Cloud got there first and didn't hesitate either, plunging into the rather tepid waters. Barret was right on his heels but hesitated at the waterfall. He wasn't that fond of water; plus, there was that gun on his arm. Nevertheless, when Cloud let loose a strangled gasp ahead of him, Barret dove forward.

Yuffie was next, darting into the water with glee. She exclaimed happily when the wetness cascaded over her sweating body, and the little ninja tried to peer past the taller men but couldn't see a thing beyond Barret's bulk. She was about to simply dart around the older man when she was distracted.

"Augh!!" Nanaki's pained cry made her jump as she turned around to see her friend writhing in agony just beneath the waterfall.

Acting quickly, Yuffie dashed forward and grabbed him. She dragged his heavier weight out of the water before he drowned, but his body continued to writhe as he was enveloped in a golden light so bright that Yuffie had to shield her eyes. When she was again able to open them, she was shocked to find that Nanaki had returned to his fire-wolf state. He laid there, panting tiredly.

"What? How?" Yuffie asked with confusion, worriedly running her fingers through his reddish fur. She would never cease to be amazed by how soft it was.

"Like I know," Nanaki answered dully. He struggled to push himself to his four feet and managed to do so, though his legs felt shaky. He wasn't used to his lupine form, and it took much concentration to remember how to stand.

"How indeed," Bugenhagen commented as he stroked his chin in interest. He had moved beyond the shocked form of Barret when the pained cry of his grandson had alerted him.

The ninja looked down at her friend, kneeling to trace a finger over one of his ears. "Never mind me," Nanaki growled, a bit irritated at the abrupt and unwanted change. "What's going on up there?"

She gave him a hurt look but removed her hands and stood, peering up at the platform just beyond Barret.

On the ground, Nanaki groaned quietly and tried to stretch his aching muscles. It hurt far more to change back than the initial transformation. Probably because all his matter was compressed, but shouldn't stretching be more painful?

Shaking his head, the lion-wolf decided not to dwell on the matter as he also tried to see what was going on. He pushed past Yuffie and Barret, only to gasp in surprise at what he saw.

Lying on the altar and in a weeping Cloud's arms was Aeris, as lovely as the day she had died. Her wound appeared to be gone, her clothes unmarred. She was the perfect picture of an angel, serene and calm, despite the surprise echoing around her.

Water continued to splash onto the platform, but no one cared to comment.

"W--what's going on?" Nanaki stuttered, speaking for everyone.

Aeris' eyes snapped open at his question, her emerald eyes searching the faces of those gathered around. She gently pushed Cloud away so that she could stand, granting him another one of her soft smiles. The blond wiped away the tears on his face and pulled himself together, also giving her a grin.

"Our request has reached the planet," Aeris explained simply. "Holy has been activated."

Barret blinked. "Then, why hasn't it started working?" he asked, gradually getting over his shock.

He couldn't shake the feeling that he was staring at a ghost, however. This simply wasn't possible. People didn't just come back from the dead. And especially not people that Sephiroth had slain himself. It seemed too good to be true.

"Something's getting in its way," Bugenhagen murmured thoughtfully, aged forehead crinkling.

"Sephiroth," Nanaki growled in instant realization. His hackles rose unconsciously.

That forsaken silver-haired freak was like a parasite in the planet's core, sucking up her energy for his own foul purposes.

Cloud nodded distractedly, gaze shifting to the side. "Yes. He's the only one who could do it," he murmured, still somewhat transfixed by the sight of his love alive and well. He couldn't stop running a hand over her arm, as if trying to prove she was really there and not an apparition of his own mind.

Yuffie tilted her head to the side. It seemed too simple. "So then, all we have to do is kill Sephiroth, and Holy will stop Meteor, right?"

Aeris nodded. "Essentially, yes." She reached back with one hand, entangling her fingers with Cloud, who gripped them tightly.

"Hmm." Bugenhagen hummed before centering his gaze on Aeris. "Then, the music box… restored you to life?" he questioned slowly. "Forgive me, but I am rather confused."

The flower-girl smiled gently. "I don't quite understand it myself," she admitted, shooting Cloud a reassuring look when he squeezed her hand a bit too tightly. "The planet is often vague about everything she does. All I know is that she wanted to restore a life that shouldn't have been taken. She wanted to right a wrong that would possibly have an effect on a future that has yet to come."

Barret's face twisted with bewilderment. "That don't make sense," he grumbled, hand idly running over his gun-arm.

"She often doesn't," Aeris mused good-naturedly. "But I have the feeling that it will all be explained within time. Something is definitely occurring on the planet, and I suspect that Sephiroth is the key to everything." Her voice lowered in thought, jade eyes dimming for just a moment. "I should not have died. My sacrifice wasn't needed."

The sudden and abrupt jarring noise of a phone ringing interrupted the happy atmosphere before her words could be digested. Cloud cursed internally as he dug into his pockets.

"What?" he barked into his PHS.

Reeve's voice echoed through the receiver. "We intercepted another transmission," he responded, the reception crackling a bit.

"And?" Cloud frowned, his mood beginning to darken. Any joy he felt in Aeris' return was beginning to shadow with the truth that the battle was still not won. If he did not defeat Sephiroth, then it wouldn't matter if she had been returned to him or not.

"You remember when the Junon Cannon disappeared? Actually, Rufus moved it."

"Moved it?" Barret repeated aloud, able to hear their conversation perfectly.

Cloud liked to pretend he was deaf and usually had his volume turned up as high as it would go.

Yuffie shifted in her feet, idly reaching down to run a comforting hand over Nanaki's head. "That big thing? How?"

Cloud ignored both of them. "Where? And why?" he growled into the phone.

Reeve sighed. "Rufus thinks he has a plan that will work. He wants to destroy Sephiroth with it. That cannon operates on Huge Materia, but they don't have any more. So essentially, the cannon was useless in Junon. He moved it to a place where Mako is gathered."

"And where is that?" Cloud demanded, head swiveling in the vague direction of the Highwind. An unsettling feeling registered in his gut.

"Where else?" Bugenhagen interjected quietly, not feeling the least bit sorry for intruding. "Once called the golden city of dreams, now a den of malevolence. An invention designed to help man, which harms the planet instead."

"That's right," Reeve agreed quietly, his voice soft and sorrowful through the receiver, and regret was clear in his tone. "Midgar."

* * *


	31. Reeve's Replacement

**Chapter Thirty-One: Reeve's Replacement **

Rufus ShinRa slammed his hands palm downwards onto the table in the small conference room. The loud sound was enough to instantly grab the attention of every one of his subordinates. Satisfied, he returned to his seat and leaned back against the back, running a hand through blond locks.

He cleared his throat and fixed them all with his ShinRa glare. "As I was saying, Archer, it's your job to adjust the reactor's output."

A dark-headed man with bright, violet eyes nodded from his position at the table. He was the one chosen to replace Reeve as head of Urban Development, and as the former executive's assistant, he was the best suited for the job. Already, he had proven his skill.

Archer replied, "Of course, sir."

Tifa giggled faintly and reached out a hand to run it along her lover's arm. He allowed her that small display but frowned when she tried to go lower.

Now was not the time.

"Hah hah hah!!" Scarlet laughed maniacally. "Don't worry about adjusting it, Archer. Once you open it up all the way, everything will go full speed!!" She waved a hand in front of her face as she continued to chortle, clearly impressed with her own intelligence. She didn't even notice the scathing look Tifa sent her way.

"Gya ha ha!!" Heidegger added in his own particularly annoying laughter. "The President's sure done it this time! If we can only defeat Sephiroth, the idea that Meteor will also disappear is based on different objectives." He thumped a fist on the table, the action even more disruptive than Rufus' slap, setting their various cups to rattling.

Rufus glared at the sycophant but remained silent. Inwardly, his stomach roiled at the idiots he was forced to work with. Even if they did serve a purpose, he couldn't help the urge to just slaughter them all and start from scratch.

Scarlet suddenly sobered as she sent the President her best ingratiating smile. "Please remember, Mr. President. It was my idea to fire reactor powered shells," she inserted, making sure that Rufus would not forget and give her the raise she had been desiring for some time now. There was this pretty little black number that she had been dying to get her hands on.

Rufus frowned musingly and tapped one finger on the table. "Will the shells really reach the far northern border?" he asked, lines marring his brow.

She laughed again. "Ah hah hah! Of course! But, Mr. President, please do not call it Mako Cannon. This new weapon will be called… The Sister Ray!" Scarlet gestured widely and beamed.

Tifa made a disgusted face, shooting the woman another derisive glare. "The Sister Ray? How lame is that?" she muttered disdainfully. "Why not Destruction Beam or Death Ray or something with I don't know, _fear_, maybe?" She shook her head at the obviously stupid female, muttering "dumbass" under her breath.

"Why you little--" Scarlet growled, furiously rising to her feet. Her hands clenched at her sides, pale cheeks tainted with an angered flush that clashed terribly with her overly bright, yellow hair.

Rufus chuckled, immediately causing Scarlet to freeze in her tracks. Normally stoic, when Rufus was amused, it was a thing to be feared. It often meant someone was going to die.

"Calm down, Scarlet. She would rip you limb to limb," he ordered in an exceedingly amused tone before immediately going sober. "Besides, Sister Ray will do for now."

Scarlet took her seat, muttering under her breath and shooting Tifa equal glares of poison in return. Ever since the brunette had returned from betraying Cloud and his fools, she had gotten even cheekier. Scarlet had never liked the bitch and wished she would just die, only that would provoke Rufus' wrath, and Scarlet quite liked living. Instead, she settled for glaring hatefully and holding her tongue.

Heidegger chortled, interrupting the staring contest between the two women. "This plan is perfect! Nothing can stop us now!!"

The President just mused silently, idly staring past the ignorant employees and out the window. He could barely see the glow of Meteor, though he glared at it hatefully. Rufus wondered if that fiery ball would end up being his destruction.

---

As they rushed from the City of the Ancients towards the Highwind, a sudden shaking of the ground caused them to nearly lose their footing. They froze in place, trying to keep from tumbling to the ground as the earth shuddered around them. Even the trees nearby swayed wildly, a few crashing to the forest floor.

After a moment, the rumbling stopped, and the distinct sound of Cloud's PHS disturbed the eerie silence. Frowning, the ex-SOLDIER reached into his pocket, signaling to the others at the same time, and they picked up their hurried pace, continuing towards the Highwind.

"What the hell was that Reeve?" Cloud demanded, recognizing the former executive's voice immediately.

Reeve's tone was both alarmed and frantic as it came through the receiver. "Diamond Weapon just appeared in the sea, and it seems to be heading straight for Midgar!!" he explained hurriedly. "And I don't think it's coming for a social visit."

Cloud's eyes flickered to the gleaming metal of the Highwind, visible just above the next rise. "Can the cannon stop it?" he asked, worry beginning to settle in his heart.

The city of Midgar had suffered so much already. This was yet another thing to be blamed on ShinRa.

"I don't know if it's ready or not," other man answered, sounding very unsure of himself.

From his tone, however, Cloud could discern that it was highly unlikely.

On the other side of the blond, Barret was striding along, his gait loud and thundering. "Hey!" he demanded harshly. "What's gonna happen to Marlene?"

The little girl was still in Midgar, last they had heard.

Cloud didn't answer. In truth, he didn't have one, so instead, he clipped the phone shut and shoved it into his pocket. He put on a burst of speed, pushing their pace, and within minutes, they were aboard and heading towards Midgar.

Everyone gathered in the cockpit, even Cid and Vincent.

Barret was the first to speak, his hand clenched angrily at his side. "What about Marlene!!" he demanded again, concern for his daughter gleaming in his dark eyes. His gaze flickered between the grim-faced former executive and an equally dismal Cloud.

"Don't worry, Barret," Reeve answered as he shook his head. "She is with Elmyra. I am certain that the Widow Gainsborough is taking very good care of her."

A sudden gasp from the back of the crowd echoed throughout the cockpit. Everyone turned, those who hadn't exited the airship finding their eyes widening in surprise at the sight of Aeris, alive and well. In the confusion, Cloud had nearly forgotten that not everyone knew of her resurrection.

One of the flower-girl's hands rose to her mouth in surprise as she stared hopefully at Reeve. "She is alive?" Aeris asked, her voice full of hope and even happiness.

Amber eyes blinked in utter confusion. "Yes, but…" he trailed off, uncertain of the proper words to even explain his own perplexity. "You--"

A hand sliced through the air.

"Long story," Cloud muttered, cutting in before Reeve could even voice his question. "We'll explain later. What's more important is right now." He turned towards the older man. "What's going on with ShinRa? Can they get the cannon ready?"

Again, before Reeve could speak, one of the crewmembers leapt out of his seat, ripping his headphones off. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" he announced, seemingly startled. He winced as an annoying sound scratched through the receiver, a piercing whine combined with static.

"What's it? What the fuck's wrong?" Cid demanded, rushing over to look at the crewmen with one of his patented Highwind glares. It still didn't have the power to scare anyone.

The crewmember nodded hurriedly before sitting back in his seat and picking up his discarded headphones. "I'm picking up on a strange signal, Captain," he commented, pointing to a computer screen that displayed several sound waves and tracing one in particular. "And it's coming from…" He paused as he turned to look at Reeve in the very same moment that the ex-ShinRa's phone began to ring again with the humorous chicken dance.

The ex-executive glanced at it sheepishly before flipping it open. Instead of getting a call, however, he had gotten a short e-mail.

"It's from my informant," he explained simply as the irritated crewman sniffed and returned to his work. "It's going to be another twenty minutes or so before the cannon is ready. Weapon will be there way before then."

Barret frowned, lips pulling into a thin line. "That's not good enough! What's goin' ta happen to Marlene then?" he demanded, voice rising in pitch and volume, causing some of those closest to him to wince.

Reeve whirled towards him, snapping his phone shut with a very audible clack. "I already told you," he sniped angrily. "She's in a safe place. So long as she is safe, who cares what else happens, right?"

The older man blinked owlishly at the sudden change in Reeve's demeanor. Confusion settled in Barret's face as many of the other members of their group carried the same perplexity. They, including Cid, had never seen him so much as lose his cool, even with Yuffie. Why was he so angry now?

Barret's mouth fell open in surprise. "Wha?"

The ex-executive's face pinched into one of barely concealed irritation and rage. "I've been wanting to say this for a long time," he hissed coldly, "but just how many people do you think died when you blew up that first reactor? Or even the ones after that?"

Barret rolled his eyes, waving a dismissive hand. "That was for the life of the planet. You gotta 'xpect a few causalities," he argued in a defensive tone, folding both arms over his massive chest.

"A few?" Reeve demanded, stalking towards the other man with his hands clenched into fists. His voice grew louder, colder.

"A few? Try thousands, including several hundred children. And all were innocent people, ones who had no idea that was their day to die for a cause they knew nothing about!! What may be a few to you was everything to those who died." He took small satisfaction in the guilty look that passed over Barret's face, instead continuing in his tirade. "Protect the planet?" Reeve snorted. "Hah! That sounded good in theory. But you didn't even give them a choice!"

Brown eyes narrowed, Barret's tone low and dangerous. "I don't want to hear that from no one in ShinRa."

Reeve snorted disdainfully, and if he were any taller, he would be standing nose to nose with Barret. "Oh, yes, because everyone in ShinRa is automatically evil incarnate. Even all the people who had no other resort and the ones who used their positions to help improve lives, build hospitals and schools, see that people had food and roofs over their heads!"

"Stop it!!" Cloud ordered, shoving his way between them as he raised his voice above their petty argument.

Barret glared, but Reeve merely frowned and turned away, a strange emotion flitting across his face.

"Cloud's right," Aeris added, her gentle voice instantly sending a calming presence throughout the entire airship. "What was done in Midgar can't be forgotten, no matter the reason. We can't give up because we are worried what will happen."

Vincent raised a brow, though it was barely visible behind his veil of hair. "We will beat Weapon ourselves then?" he questioned with a faintly bemused tone. His gaze darted around all the members of their group, internally wondering if they were strong enough to handle such a battle.

Cid let out a bark of laughter. "Ya think we can win against that monster?"

"We got a chance of winnin', right?" Yuffie inserted, hoping that someone would encourage her or at least take away the pessimistic attitude that both Cid and Vincent were projecting in waves. She didn't want to see Midgar destroyed anymore than Barret did.

Cloud shrugged and tapped the hilt of his sword thoughtfully. "How would I know?" he asked rhetorically. "But that's no reason for us to just let it go! We are going to do something."

---

It was easier than it sounded; they hadn't accounted for the sheer strength in the massive beast. Its power was greater than theirs, as well as its speed, stamina, offense… Everything. It was all they could do to simply remain alive, much less deter the monster in its attack on Midgar.

Therefore, when the creature suddenly stopped in the middle of launching one of its more destructive attacks and centered its gaze on the darkened city in front of them, the members of AVALANCHE immediately knew that something was wrong.

"What? Why did it stop fighting?" Cloud panted.

He stumbled backwards to stand next to Cid and Aeris as Diamond Weapon completely ignored their presence. While it probably would have been the perfect time to attack their enemy, there was something in the way that the Weapon stood that made Cloud uneasy.

Aeris shook her head, gently applying a Cure to Cid's injured leg. "Maybe it senses something we don't," she commented, making a very valid point.

Cloud shook his head in confusion as he eyed Diamond Weapon's odd behavior. He tightened his fingers around the hilt of his sword, mentally preparing for an attack. But suddenly, his PHS rang. Cursing aloud, the blond dipped his fingers inside his pocket and pulled it out, flipping it open and keeping one ever-watchful eye on their enemy.

Reeve's frantic voice immediately flooded Cloud's ears. "You have to get out of there now!!"

"What?" the ex-SOLDIER asked, clearly confused.

The other man let loose an exasperated sigh before continuing. "It's ShinRa! The Sister Ray! They're going to fire!"

"I thought you said it wasn't-- Shit!!" Cloud slammed the phone shut and shoved it into his pocket.

In the meantime, Diamond Weapon suddenly dropped to one knee. A panel opened on its back, revealing dozens of missile launchers. It was an attack that they had yet to see, which didn't bode well for their survival.

Cloud didn't want to stick around and find out, so he sheathed his sword in one smooth motion. He bent down and grabbed the injured Captain and raced for the airship, checking to make sure Aeris was still beside him. Luckily, the Highwind had been able to land nearby, a Barrier thrumming around the ship to keep it safe.

Aeris twisted her neck, glancing over her shoulder at Diamond Weapon, only to blanch visibly. "It's going to fire on Midgar," she voiced breathlessly.

"Then ShinRa better get their ass together and fire first!" Cloud muttered under his breath as they struggled to haul the injured Cid up the ramp.

At the top, Vincent noticed their plight and stepped down to help them. He had been helping in the attack from afar, staying within the relative safety of the Highwind and using his Winchester to distract and otherwise annoy the Weapon.

Once they stumbled within the main bay doors, Vincent slapped the button to close the ramp. Cid collapsed to the floor breathing heavily as the ex-Turk moved to the intercom, hitting the button and letting the pilot know they were all aboard.

Almost immediately, the Highwind began to shudder and thrum as it rose steadily into the air.

Vincent knelt at Cid's side, laying down his weapon with a small clank to the floor of the cargo bay. "Go to the bridge," he told Cloud and Aeris. "I'll stay here with him." He reached for the pilot's leg, one hand digging into his pocket for his healing materia for the nearly shattered leg.

Cloud nodded, his gaze flickering over the two men for all of a brief moment before he and Aeris hurried out of the room. A strange quiet, the whirr of the Highwind's rotors soft in the background, settled over the cargo bay.

On the floor, Cid chuckled from where he lay, his eyes closed. "I must be dreaming," he commented, one hand reaching up to pat his head where the cigarettes were still safely stored.

"What makes you say that?" Vincent asked with some confusion. There was a gentle green flash as he activated the Heal materia.

A teasing tingle raced through Cid's leg as the bones began to shift and realign. Not exactly a comfortable feeling, but he would endure it so long as he could walk again afterwards. "Because you're healing me."

Vincent's brow furrowed. "I've done it before."

The pilot nodded. "Yeah but..." he trailed off. It was hard to put into words what he actually meant. It wasn't so much that it was unusual for Vincent to heal him, considering that they often fought together with Cloud. Vincent was the one usually remanded to healing and defense because of his long-range weapon.

No, what Cid was referring to was the flash of concern he had caught in Vincent's eyes. For a brief moment, he had seen past Vincent's careful attempts to keep a rein on his emotions. It gave him hope that Vincent felt more for him than the gunman was readily willing to admit.

Vincent rolled his eyes when Cid ceased his mumbled explanation. "You're an idiot," he commented, though it was said with a light note of affection.

"Yeah, maybe." There was another flash of green as Vincent applied a Cure, soothing away the aches of the wound and sealing up the pierced flesh. With his body fully healed, Cid sat up, a mischievous grin taking over his expression.

"But do idiots get kisses?" he questioned, a hopeful glint to his eyes.

Vincent surreptitiously glanced around, despite the fact that he was well aware that everyone knew of their relationship. At least, everyone that had been in the cargo bay when Cid kissed him. Either way, he liked his privacy and didn't want to be subjected to Yuffie's teasing or Barret's inane remarks.

Finding the cargo bay abandoned, with Cid waiting patiently for him to make up his mind, Vincent finally sighed. Slipping his materia back into his pocket, he wasted no time in leaning forward and dipping his head down to kiss the man he had, on some level, finally accepted as lover and not just 'fuck buddy' as it had been so crudely put before.

It occurred to him that such a gentle kiss, in such a place, after such an event, was something that could be construed as caring, romantic even. Especially when Cid reached around him and threaded his fingers in dark hair, preventing him from ending the kiss too soon. Yet, Vincent felt no need to do so. Despite the fact that all hell was breaking loose outside, and the others were waiting in the bridge, he found he wanted to remain in the cargo bay.

With Cid.

It wasn't that Cid made him forget, or made the pain go away, or even made him feel less guilty. But the tightening inside of him, the agonizing coiling of all his twisted thoughts and fears, seemed to ease when he was around the pilot. The frail hope he had pushed aside that maybe, _maybe_ it might not have been his fault after all, started to rise to the surface again. Despite his best efforts, Lucrecia's face was being replaced in his mind.

And it was Cid who had done it.

----

He made it just in time to see Diamond Weapon fire off a barrage of missiles in the very same moment that the Sister Ray fired. The two entirely different but just as deadly attacks passed harmlessly by each other, only to unerringly head for their intended targets.

The beam of power from the Sister Ray struck Diamond Weapon first, slamming into its chest and knocking the creature back several hundred feet. It left a big gaping hole in its wake as it passed through the creature and continued on heading straight for the Northern Crater. Weapon was killed instantly, collapsing on its back with twitching lips, but it was clear that the beast had not been ShinRa's original target.

With his nose almost pressed to the view window in horror, Nanaki's eyes widened in sudden understanding. "The crater!" he exclaimed, whirling around to shoot Cloud a knowing look. "They were aiming for the crater all along!"

Yuffie frowned. "What?" she demanded, her gaze darting between those present. "Then… they're the good guys?"

Reeve's deep intake of breath overrode the ninja's question. "Kami," he breathed, gaze locking on the vision beyond the window, that of missiles still heading unerringly for Midgar. "They're going to hit straight on!"

"No!" Barret screamed, running towards the window, plastering his hands against the thick glass. "Marlene!"

But they could only watch in horror as dozens of missiles slammed into Midgar, exploding in bright bursts of orange flame. Buildings crumpled and huge gouts of black smoke rose in thick, ashy columns of hell. The sky above Midgar literally lit up from the size of the fires, and still, other missiles passed by unhampered.

Cloud felt a hand on his shoulder and jumped, only to find that it was Aeris. She also gazed at the horrific scene, having arrived just in time to witness the devastation.

Barret slumped to the floor, his eyes staring vacantly. In his heart, he knew that he had failed. He had promised Dyne that he would protect Marlene and watch over her; she was the child he had come to love as his own daughter. And now, she was most likely dead!

Annoyed by his piteous expression, Vincent snapped. "Oh, stop your moping!" he growled from the back of the room.

Every single eye in the cockpit swiveled towards him, but he remained unfazed by their scandalized looks.

"If you weren't so blinded by your unreasonable grief, you might have actually noticed that almost all of the missiles missed Midgar entirely. They hit the upper levels of ShinRa Corporation," Vincent explained, clarifying his words as he gestured towards the window. "The city itself is intact."

Beside Vincent, Reeve stiffened, his face going uncharacteristically pale. Unconsciously, his hand wrapped around the phone in his pocket, fingers twitching to dial numbers he knew by heart, even as his stomach leapt into his throat. His pulse throbbed through his veins.

Damn, getting caught! He had to know!

Cid moved to the front of the room, surveying the destruction with his own eyes and managing to walk with only a slight limp. "Vince's right!" he declared. "Midgar'll survive. We need to find out what happened at the crater."

The ex-SOLDIER nodded. "Good point. Pilot, to the crater."

Moments later, they were gaping at a destroyed barrier. Now, there was nothing standing between them and the murderous Sephiroth.

"Damn ShinRa did something right for once," Cid muttered under his breath, hating that he had to admit it to himself.

"Now, we can get to Sephiroth," Cloud proclaimed, an almost eager note to his tone. Mako blue eyes began to glow with a fierce determination, his hands tightening around the hilt of his massive sword.

He was interrupted, however, when Reeve's cell phone began to ring again. Everyone in the cockpit grimaced as he shot them sheepish looks. They were really beginning to hate his ring tone and the general bad news that it seemed to bring with it.

Reeve flipped open his phone and glanced at the screen, only to gasp when he realized who it was.

"Archer, you're still alive!" he exclaimed. "What's going on? Is _he_ alright?" Reeve paused, only to have amber eyes become impossibly wide. "What!?!"

---

"Strange," Heidegger declared as he glanced at the phone in his hand. "I can't reach the President!" A frown pulled on his horsy face.

"Rufus?" Tifa asked with surprise, her voice raising in pitch. "Has something happened to Rufus?"

"Shut up, girl!" Scarlet snapped, slicing a hand through the air. She whirled around violently, glaring at the man behind her. "Archer! What's going on?"

He returned her stare with equal force. "It must've been Weapon's attack," he put in, eyes widening in shock as he returned to the control board. "But none of that matters right now! The reactor's input is increasing all by itself!"

"Ww-wait a minute!" Scarlet exclaimed, unable to help her alarmed stammering. "That's not smart! It must cool for three hours, or it won't work. Archer, go shut off the damn machine!" she ordered, slicing her hand through the air yet again, and nearly causing her bosom to pop out of her too small dress.

Archer shook his head grimly. "We can't do that; it's inoperable. We've been locked out from here." He frowned, face tight with worry. "It's been switched to mainframe operation."

Scarlet's face paled as one of her hands fluttered near to her mouth. "What about the mainframe? Who!?" She was still unable to comprehend the fact that someone was messing with her cannon, even as she whirled around again, setting her gaze on her comrade in arms. "Hey! Call the mainframe!" she yelled, pointing at Heidegger.

A look of stupefied perplexity filled the rotund man's face. "Huh? Why are you giving orders?" he questioned before staring dumbly at his phone "And why can't I reach Rufus?"

"I'll find him!!" Tifa gasped, already running from the room. She had to find her lover. Without him, she had no power!! Then, all that she had done would be for naught!

"Who gives a damn about the details?" Archer retorted once Tifa had gone.

He dug into his pocket and pulled out his own PHS, quickly dialing the number to the mainframe. It rang several times before the phone automatically picked itself up since it was equipped for such measures.

The sound of inane cackling filled the receiver.

Violet eyes blinked as Archer's brow furrowed. "Who's there? What's going on?" he demanded.

A voice snickered. "All you want… hwa ha mwa!"

"Hojo?" Archer gritted his teeth as he recognized the voice. "Dammit, you freak! Stop! The cannon, no, Midgar itself is in danger!"

However, Hojo held little regard for Archer's worries. He laughed mockingly, and the sound of buttons being pressed could clearly be heard.

"One or… two Midgars? A small price to pay for science." The last came out as an eerie hiss.

"Hojo! Hojo! Listen to me dammit!"

But the scientist was far too gone even bother listening, and the phone went dead, leaving nothing but an annoying buzz behind.

"Archer! What's going on?" Scarlet all but shouted, striding up to the dark-haired man.

The man was frantically dialing numbers into his phone once more, cursing when he received nothing but a dead silence. Hojo had completely shut down the communications system.

"It's Hojo; he's gone plum-fucking nuts! I've got to get down there and stop him!" Archer dashed from the room, hand still holding tightly to his PHS as he completely ignored both Scarlet and Heidegger.

Laughter followed in his wake. "Ghaa haa hah! The President is dead! Now, I'm doing things my way! You," Heidegger declared, pointing two meaty fingers at two guards, "after him!"

Beside him, Scarlet began to chortle madly, one hand flapping in front of her face. "Now's the chance to use the new weapon!" She beamed. "You can bet that Archer's already contacting Reeve as we speak."

Heidegger sneered. "Fool didn't think we would notice he was always sneaking away on the phone."

The two ShinRa employees laughed evilly together, delighting in their cleverness.

---

Meanwhile, aboard the Highwind, things were going steadily downhill.

"…No, get out of there!! I'm coming!! Archer?? Hey!!"

The phone went dead in his hands. Reeve slammed it shut, his face growing even paler than before.

A hand placed itself gently on his shoulder. "What's going on, Reeve?" Aeris asked softly, concern filling her features.

The ex-executive shook his head, anger causing his body to tremble all over. "It's Hojo. ShinRa's in an uproar; the whole place is a freaking disaster area. Rufus has disappeared, and Hojo is priming the Sister Ray for another attack. But the cannon will explode with all the power he's pumping into it! And if it travels down into the mako reactors and then the Lifestream…" He shook his head again, turning a ghastly pale shade. "It could be an annihilation of the entire planet."

Barret's jaw dropped. "Can't your spy friend do something?"

Reeve snorted. "What? You think that call ended normally?" he retorted, nearly crushing his phone as he gripped it tightly. "He's in ShinRa's hands now. There's nothing I can do, and I'm certain they know we are coming."

Cloud sighed, scraping a hand through his blond spikes. "We can't run away now. There's too much at stake. Hojo must be stopped." He turned towards the pilot as a murmur of agreement swept through those in the cockpit, especially from Barret.

"Head to Midgar," he ordered.

The pilot was quick to comply.

* * *


	32. Friend or Foe

**Chapter Thirty-Two: Friend or Foe**

"I'm sure Heidegger is going to be after us. It is dangerous out in the open. Going underground is our best option." Reeve shifted, crossing his arms over his chest as he peeked out of the alley where they were hiding. A noticeable frown was on his face, barely concealing the worry for his friend, who was now in ShinRa's hands.

"You mean use the train tunnels?" Cloud asked.

Reeve nodded. "Precisely."

He pointed towards the hatch beneath them, rusted lock long broken; it carried a faint scent of heated metal and burnt oils. Barret and Cid moved forward and worked together to pull the heavy, metal lid, and it came up with a loud screech.

Cloud winced as the ex-executive peeked into the alley once more, checking to see if the noise had been noticed, and one by one, the members of AVALANCHE dropped down into the tunnels. Luckily, their arrival had gone unobserved.

"I'm not sure which way we should go from here though," Reeve said, scratching his head. "I never really made it a habit to go skulking about in the train tunnels." He hadn't designed them either. That honor belonged to someone else in his division, and he probably should have paid more attention to the schematics at the time he had approved them.

Cloud sighed, raking his gaze over the area.

It was dimly lit with only the emergency lights active. Martial law had put a strangle hold on Midgar, and the tunnels barely even rumbled, implying that trains had little to no activity. Thus, the reason they had had to parachute in from the Highwind.

Still, there were really only two choices, left or right.

"There's no way past it then," Cloud announced, raking a hand through his blond spikes. "We'll have to split up."

Nanaki's brow furrowed. "Are you sure that's safe? To divide our power like that?"

"We don't have time for anything else." Cid snorted, unconsciously reaching for a cigarette and lighting it, despite the subtle Valentine death glares being sent his way.

The former SOLDIER nodded, his gaze sweeping over his crew. "Aeris, Vincent, Barret, you three are with me," he ordered quickly before shifting his eyes to the Captain. "Cid, I'm counting on you."

The pilot pursed his lips but nodded. Inside, he was secretly ranting and raving, cursing Cloud and his mother and his ancestors for being such a dumbass. He hadn't wanted to be leader the first time. Why the hell would he want to do it again?

Besides, he didn't want to be separated from Vincent. He couldn't really explain why, especially since he knew Vincent was perfectly capable of protecting himself. It was just an uneasy feeling that had settled in the pilot's gut.

"We'll take the left path; you follow the right. Just… stay alive," Cloud ordered, finishing rather lamely.

Cid snorted. "Believe me… I have no intention of dying just yet!" He clasped hands with their leader and then turned towards the right. "C'mon, crew; let's move out!" he ordered, displaying far more joviality than he actually felt.

Cloud stood silently for a moment, watching half of his group head in an opposite direction. He wanted to just say that they should stick together, but practicality won out. They were all mature adults… mostly. They knew what they were getting into. Still, the blond felt responsible for everyone under his command. He would kick himself if they died and he hadn't been there to prevent it.

"Cloud?" Aeris was worried; he could hear it in her voice.

The blond shook his head, hand going to his sword, if only to be comforted by the feel of the hilt. "Nothing. Come on; let's go."

He and his three companions turned and took the left path, inwardly hoping that they would find the way to the cannon first, but it was a long and weary path. They trudged down the silent and dimly lit corridors of the train tunnels, which seemed never ending. Not once did they deviate, nor did they find another ladder or really anything at all.

It was disconcerting.

"Do you suppose this is the right direction?" Aeris couldn't help but ask.

Cloud shrugged. "Either way, we really have no choice but to continue. It will come to an end eventually. They don't go on forever."

Beside him, Barret suddenly stiffened, catching something ahead of them. "What's that?" he asked, pointing with one finger to a spot of orangish-red light.

It seemed distinctly out of place.

Vincent peered into the gloom, his demon-aided eyes seeing much more than their average human ones. "It is a cigarette… and three people." He put his hand on his holster and drew the Outsider, cocking the trigger.

"Enemies?"

The gunman shook his head. "Perhaps," he answered as the three figures slowly came into view, instantly recognized by Cloud's party.

"We're supposed to fight you," Reno announced, tapping his Electro Rod at his shoulder.

Beside him, Elena and Rude stood stoically, looking just as prepared for battle.

Rude tilted his head. "But ShinRa is finished, and it's only our pride that keeps us here."

Blue-green eyes shifted towards his partner before turning back to the members of AVALANCHE, and Cloud shifted, not really wanting to fight them either. It didn't seem right, not with ShinRa falling to pieces. They didn't have to be enemies.

"And the pride of the Turks is stronger than anything!" Elena announced, but she remained where she was, not even going for her weapon. There was an odd look on her face as she glanced at her companions, as if waiting for them to respond.

"True," Reno allowed after a moment, his voice strangely calm. "But we're not going to fight them. We don't have to prove anything by fighting them," he put in softly. "I once heard someone say that." He closed his eyes, a look of incredible weariness of on his youthful face. "I don't want to fight them anymore."

Elena blinked and seemed ready to add something further, but she was interrupted by Rude.

"We didn't tell you because we didn't want to risk it getting out," the bald man said, looking at the blonde directly. "You were a great Turk, Elena, but we're tired of this. We're not heroes, but… there are things even we can do."

The two men exchanged glances before they began moving, Elena's confused gaze darting between them. It wasn't until they had passed Cloud and his group that the ex-SOLDIER chose to speak.

"Wait! How do we get to the Sister Ray from here?" Cloud questioned, determined to get information since they weren't fighting anymore.

Reno paused mid-step, something tightening across his back as he half-turned. "It's just a few more feet down the tunnel. There's a ladder." There was a strange gleam in his eyes as considered something.

"Where's Marlene?" Barret asked, pushing himself to the front of the group and rather rudely elbowing Vincent aside.

"Probably in the medical center," Elena answered, shaken from her reverie. "That's where they've been keeping her and the other woman."

Barret frowned as his hand clenched at his side, suddenly taking a step forward. "Take me there!" he demanded before moving to face his friends. "I'm sorry, Spike, but I realized something while we were in the city. Marlene's all that's important to me, and I've been leaving her alone. She's all I care about."

Aquamarine eyes widened in response at the man's words. Nevertheless, it was Rude who responded, shooting his partner a strange look before tilting his head.

"We'll take you there," he intoned. "Since we're going with Plan B."

"Plan B," Reno murmured distractedly, nodding to himself. "Rude, get Tseng and get out of Midgar. I'm leaving it to you," he ordered, running a hand through his red hair.

Complete understanding dawned in the bald Turk's face, even as Aeris gasped. "Tseng's alive?"

"A bit beat up but alive." Reno inclined his head at his partners. "They'll get as many people out of the slums and into Kalm as they can… if there are any left thanks to Archer's secret evacuations."

Mako blue eyes narrowed. "And you?"

The redhead appeared thoughtful, tapping his Electro Rod on his shoulder in an almost nervous habit. "You're going to stop Hojo, right?" he asked, his gaze locked on the floor. "And the others, where are they?"

"Could already be there for all we know." Cloud explained cautiously, confused by Reno's strange behavior, "We had to split up."

"Then, I'm coming with you, yo," Reno announced.

Cloud blinked in confusion. "What?"

The Turk smirked. "Maybe I've come to a realization about what's important to me, too," he answered, flicking his eyes to the others. "Don't die on me, guys. I'm expectin' to see ya after all this is over."

What might have been a smile crossed Rude's normally stoic face. "Tell the boss I said hello," he responded, turning on his heels and striding down the tunnel, Elena and Barret quick to follow.

Something strange passed over Reno's face as he looked at the still confused members of AVALANCHE. "Shall we?"

---

"**C**id," Yuffie whined aloud as she dragged her feet against the ground. "I don't think this is the right way!"

Honestly, they had already taken one wrong turn when the tunnel had diverged. They had to retrace their steps and take the other path. It threw them off track, adding more time to their journey and settling a new worry over them.

"Your opinion no longer matters," the pilot muttered.

He strode a bit ahead of the group, trying his best to block out the annoying ninja's voice and quit worrying about Vincent at the same time. With the recent events, Cid was worried that his demons might try to come out on their own again and that Cloud would just opt to kill.

"Look!" Nanaki announced, gesturing towards the tunnel ahead of them. "It's ended again."

Cid cursed loudly. Damn dead ends.

The former executive shot him an amused look. "There is a ladder though," Reeve commented. "We might as well try it."

"Be my guest." Cid gestured grandly, still a bit miffed that he had been made leader again.

Shrugging, Reeve was the first to climb, easily opening the hatch and sticking his head up to identify their location.

"It's ShinRa HQ."

Cid chewed angrily on the end of an unsmoked cigarette, feeling as if Cloud had sent them on a wild goose chase. "Come back down then," he muttered with a wave of his hand, already turning back around. "We don't need to go there."

"Hold on a minute," Reeve suggesting, popping his head back down to glare at the pilot. "What if Archer's there? I ought to rescue him since it's my fault he's in their clutches."

"We don't have time for that," Cid growled. "We have to completely turn back around and catch up to the others."

A deep voice suddenly resonated through the area, startling the four present. "He's right."

All eyes turned towards the darkness.

Rude, Elena, and Barret stepped into the dim light. "Cloud and the others are already preparing to face Hojo. They will need your help," the bald Turk explained, not at all bothered by their presence.

"We'll save Archer," Elena continued, gesturing towards the ladder. "Don't you worry about him."

"Where's Reno?" Reeve asked.

Of course, in the same moment, Yuffie blurted out, "Why are you with them, Barret?"

Rude glanced at the two, faintly amused. "Reno is with Cloud; apparently, he wants to fight Hojo as well."

"And I'm going ta save Marlene, so get off the ladder and outta my way, ShinRa boy," the gun-armed man grumbled, pushing further into the area.

Reeve backed down as the dark-skinned man exuberantly climbed the ladder. However, halfway up, he paused and then reached into a pocket, holding out his hand to the ex-executive.

"What is this?" he questioned, frowning at the glowing orbs he now held.

Barret grinned toothily as he started back up the ladder, his voice echoing down to the executive. "I forgot to give them back to Cloud. You guys will need it more n'me," he explained as Elena and Rude followed the former AVALANCHE leader.

However, the blonde paused at the base of the ladder. "You should hurry," she suggested as she reached for the rungs. "Heidegger and Scarlet were waiting at the bottom and will probably slow them down, but I guarantee that the battle will have already begun by the time you get there." She began to climb.

Rude tilted his head in agreement, his gaze sliding to Reeve. "He is waiting, after all," he added vaguely.

And Cid was already turning on his heels, heading quickly up the tunnels. "Let's go, crew!" he announced with a brief flip of his wrists, worry increasing his pace. "There's no time to waste."

Reeve nodded, glancing into his cupped palms to find every one of Barret's materia, including the Fenrir summon that Reeve had returned after their battle with Scorpios.

It was Barret's way of saying goodbye.

---

"What the hell is that?" Vincent asked in surprise, taking an unconscious step backwards.

"It's the Proud Clod," Reno explained, shaking his head.

The mocking voices of Scarlet and Heidegger echoed from the insides of the creature. "G'yaaaa haaa haaa!!! Here they come!"

Cloud drew the Heaven's Cloud from its sheath and leveled it at the metal monster, mentally reviewing his stock of materia.

However, Vincent had already started the fight. He touched the Escort Guard on his wrist and the small red materia lodged into one of the slots.

"Black Cauldron," he announced simply, calling forth the Hades summon.

Darkness fell over the battlefield, and four small fires sprang to life around the circumference of a circle, which surrounded the Proud Clod. It began to spin, and a suspiciously patterned stone disc rose from the floor. It was followed by four columns that formed a stage in front of the metal monster. A gothic chandelier was suspended in midair above the platform, casting an eerie light over the darkened battlefield.

A pillar of light brought forth Hades, who appeared standing over a smoking cauldron. The cloaked skeleton cast a spell, causing the cauldron to erupt and send a tide of crimson and azure smoke over the enemy. The metal armor began to sizzle and hiss as corrosive acid poured over its shining red surface.

Hades grinned maliciously before disappearing in a smoky haze, and Cloud took the opportunity to perform Climhazzard, slicing up Proud Clod's armor and easily revealing the occupants inside.

Both Heidegger and Scarlet were screaming curses as their monster was easily destroyed.

Aeris finished by casting Comet 2 with a surprisingly calm look on her face. Four comets appeared in the sky, pulled out of orbit by the power of her magic, and slammed into the metal body of the Proud Clod, shattering it into pieces. Smoking and completely obliterated, the metal monster fell off the side of the stairwell, the sounds of Scarlet and Heidegger's screams echoing harshly.

Reno gaped at the three of them. He hadn't even had to draw his Electro Rod, much less take place in the battle. They had destroyed the Proud Clod in less than five minutes. Cloud's group was even more powerful than the last time they had fought the Turks, and the redhead was more than glad that they hadn't chosen to battle in the tunnels. The Turks would have actually had to try, doing more than their usual half-assed effort.

"That was surprisingly easy." Vincent snorted, glaring down at the few pieces of twisted wreckage littering the street.

Reno shook his head, trying to fight off the surprise still present in his features. "We can't afford to use big spells like that near the control panel," he commented.

"Neither can we afford to stand here and muse about the battle. Hojo is still at the Sister Ray!" Cloud ordered.

He picked up the abandoned sword the Proud Clod had originally been holding and tested its weight. The balance was perfect, and it was stronger than the Heaven's Cloud.

"Let's go," he demanded and ran for the stairs, the other three following after him.

The group of four raced up the metal stairs towards the control panel for the Sister Ray. Already, they felt like they had run out of time.

Cloud was the first to crest the top of the stairs, laying his eyes on their bloodthirsty foe. "Hojo! Stop right there!!" He halted right behind the crazed man and leveled his newly gained Ragnarok at him.

The others flanked him on both sides, preparing for the inevitable battle. They were certain the mad scientist would not go down without a fight.

Hojo looked over his shoulder unconcernedly, barely acknowledging their presence. "Oh, the failure," he mused with a sniff. "And my favorite toy as well, how fitting."

"At least remember my name!" their leader growled angrily. "It's Cloud!"

The scientist snorted, returning to the panel. "Every time I see you, it pains me that I had so little scientific sense. I evaluated you as a failed project, but you are the only one that succeeded as a Sephiroth clone." He tilted his head back and looked up at the darkened sky above him, arcs of electricity raking across it from the rapidly overloading cannon. "I'm even beginning to hate myself."

"No one can hate you more than I," Vincent spat poisonously. He glared at the bespectacled man with all the loathing and fury that had been building for the past thirty years. His body was beginning to shake, and he could already feel his demons beneath the surface.

"None of that matters. Just stop this nonsense!" Aeris declared, raising her Princess Guard.

"Nonsense?" Hojo questioned, as if he wasn't sure what they were talking about. "Oh, this?" He laughed maniacally. "Sephiroth seems to be counting on the energy. So I'm going to lend him a hand."

The Turk's brow furrowed. "Why the hell would you do that?" Reno demanded.

"Quit asking me why, you morons," the scientist retorted with a wide wave of his hands. "Energy level is at eighty-three percent. It's taking too long. My son is in need of power. That's the only reason I need."

Silence fell as nausea gripped Cloud's belly. "Your son?" he repeated, floored by the revelation as memories of his idol flooded his mind.

Zack had told him of Sephiroth's nightmares, how they hinted to things that the former General had never expressed. His friend had been more than concerned, worried just what had happened to Sephiroth under ShinRa's care.

"Nobody knew, except perhaps the monster that goes by the name of a long dead Turk." Hojo chortled again, clearly pleased with his own humor.

Cloud glanced at Vincent, who returned the look with an even crimson glare. Shaking his head, the spiky-headed blond returned his attentions to Hojo.

"Sephiroth is your son?" Reno questioned, feeling a surprising bit of pity for the General. In all his years as a Turk, that little piece of knowledge had never come to his ears.

Hojo chuckled as he fiddled with another button. "I offered the woman with my child to Professor Gast's Jenova Project." Aeris paled when she heard the name of the professor, but the scientist took no notice, continuing on. "When Sephiroth was still in the womb, we took the cells of Jenova--"

Cloud shook his head angrily. "I can't believe it's all you, all your fault."

"Pro--Professor Gast? Daddy?" the flower-girl repeated in a daze.

"That's right, little girl," Hojo answered mockingly, facing the group. His lips were twisted up in a spiteful glee, which frightened everyone present. "Your dear daddy was also a part of this, though the coward backed out at the last second. He never was much of a man of science."

Beside the woman he loved, Cloud's hands clenched into angered fists. "Today, you will die!" he hissed furiously, taking a step forwards.

"Is that so?" the scientist inquired with a raised eyebrow. "Well, I've injected Jenova into myself as well. Nothing can stop me now, especially since I have this!" He held up his hand and revealed a simple, golden band on his middle finger.

"A wedding ring?" Cloud questioned with incredulity; he snorted. "Right. I'm real terrified now."

Hojo smirked. "This is the Apocalypse band, and by the time you realize its true effects, you may already be dead." He appeared to concentrate just then, and the golden ring glowed with a rather poisonous luminescence.

Suddenly, Vincent let out an unearthly shriek and dropped to his knees; he began to pulsate. Hands went to his head as a million voices screamed in his mind. One especially was incredibly loud, speaking directly to his demons and ordering them to manifest. A dark cloud appeared out of nowhere, enveloping his body, completely concealing him from his friends.

Grey eyes glinted manically. "I told him that he would be the perfect weapon," Hojo informed them, "and here, he thought he had escaped from me."

"What are you talking about?" Cloud demanded.

"You'll see," the insane maniac giggled, a high-pitched mad sound that sent shivers down their spines.

Fed up with his insanity and mocking, Reno drew his Electro Rod and growled as he rushed at Hojo, determined to knock the knowing smirk off of his face.

However, the Turk never completed his task. Before he got a chance to even lay a hand on the scientist, a streak of hard flesh and steel barreled into him. One hand wrapped around Reno's throat and squeezed fiercely, throwing the man far away from Hojo in the same moment that a burst of magic hit the Turk full in the chest. The redhead was like a blur as he sailed through the air, smacking into the control panel with a resounding thump. His head slammed into the metal and left an impossibly large dent, and tumbled off and hit the ground, completely unconscious.

Purplish bruises already were forming around the side of Reno's neck.

"Reno!" Aeris gasped.

"With this ring in my possession, that damned Valentine is completely under my control," Hojo chortled.

A strange demon, the same one who had attacked Reno, now stood at the scientist's side, glaring at them with intense hatred. The two lovers immediately recognized him as Hellmasker, Vincent's third demon form.

The mad scientist gestured offhandedly, and Hellmasker cranked up his chainsaw, sights set on his two friends as he stalked forwards.

Cloud stepped in front of Aeris and blocked the saw with his Ragnarok. The two wrestled for a moment, strength combating against strength. Still, even with his power, the blond was no match for the greater vigor of the demon. He was slowly being pushed back, and Hellmasker growled at the two of them, eyes flashing menacingly.

"Repel!" Aeris yelled, casting one of her special defensive magics, and a ray of light burst from her hand and smacked Hellmasker in the face, knocking the demon to the ground at Hojo's feet.

"Did you hurt him?" Cloud asked, shoulders heaving with his efforts.

Aeris shook his head. "No. I couldn't."

Cloud hefted up the Ragnarok and cast Aeris a grim look. "We may have to. Go see if you can help Reno."

But before she could even take a step in the Turk's direction, Hojo cackled. "Ha ha ha! You're not going anywhere!" He summoned two monsters from seemingly nowhere, more results of his bizarre experimentation.

They blocked Aeris, and she had no choice but to defend herself, inwardly praying that Reno wasn't dying, blood pooling beneath his head.

"You bastard!!" Cloud spat as he rushed Hojo and Hellmasker.

Yet, the scientist stood back and simply watched as he sent the monster forward to fight. Again, chainsaw met really big sword with an angry grating sound followed by several sparkles.

Hojo laughed louder, his voice becoming shrill and hard on the ears. Cloud spared a glance past his own battle and saw that the scientist was slowly changing into a far more gruesome form.

They needed help, and they needed help, now.

---

A flash of magic through the air raised the hair on Cid's arms, and he realized that the battle for the Sister Ray had already begun. He put on a burst of speed as he climbed the stairs, Yuffie, Reeve, and Nanaki hurrying to keep up with him. He had only one thought in his mind. For some reason, he just knew that Vincent was in trouble. He didn't understand it, but he was relying on gut instinct, and that very thought made him hurry even more.

He crested the last staircase and stepped onto the control platform, nearly skidding to a stop at the sight that he saw. Reno was in a mangled heap near the control panel. Cloud and Aeris were standing back to back, trying to fend off attacks from three monsters, one of which looked remarkably like Vincent's third demon form, Hellmasker.

Cid's heart sank. Somehow, he knew that the third didn't just look like his lover but WAS him.

"Reno!!" Reeve exclaimed with horror as he ran up behind Cid. He wasted no time dashing onto the platform, ignoring the other chaos as he ran to the red-haired Turk. One of the smaller monsters made as if to attack him, but Reeve barely spared it a glance as he cast Fire 3 and kept going.

Yuffie dashed past the Captain as well, pulling out her shuriken and attacking the second monster, Poodler. She slashed at it with a vengeance, green blood staining the metal floor of the platform.

Nanaki raced to Aeris' side, noticing that she desperately needed a Cure 2 or perhaps something stronger as Cid finally overcame his momentary shock and joined the battle. He added his spear to Cloud's strength, and together, the two of them fought to push back Hellmasker.

"Never happier to see you, Highwind," Cloud grunted out as they two of them struggled to push against the greater strength of Hellmasker.

"What the hell happened? Why is Vince attacking us?" the pilot demanded.

"It's Hojo. He's got some type of ring that controls him," the leader gasped out.

With a great heave, the two managed to push Hellmasker back and throw him to the ground. The chainsaw skittered out of his hands and across the floor of the platform, and Cid ran forward and kicked it out of reach. However, this didn't faze Hellmasker at all as he leaped at Cloud. The blond held out his sword in defense, but the demon just grabbed the blade and held on, the sharp edges cutting into his skin.

Hojo chuckled in his new form, that of some strange mating of a golden snake and an eagle. "Your only choice is to kill your friend. He won't stop unless I tell him to."

Nanaki growled as he finished applying the last of the Cure 2 to Aeris. The fur on his back rose as he felt an overwhelming anger course through his body, a familiar rage that sparked an even more familiar power prickling across his skin.

Meanwhile, Cid jumped on Hellmasker's back, trying to subdue the demon, but he was still fighting them tooth and nail, invariably getting hurt in the process. Reeve was now cradling Reno's head in his lap, attempting to waken the fallen Turk, and nearby, Yuffie finished hacking the last of the monsters to bits, even the seriously charred one that Reeve had managed to slow but not stop. She made her way to Nanaki and Aeris, limping only slightly.

Hojo had gone too far!!

The crazed scientist thought he was above the law of man, using sentient beings in his experiments. He hurt those who Nanaki cared about, and yet, Hojo still managed to laugh.

The lion-wolf felt hands thread through the fur on his neck and looked up to see Yuffie standing next to him, glaring at Hojo with grim determination. He felt a tingle race through his body, and suddenly, the amulet around his neck began to glow. Nanaki growled and took off at a dead run at the madman, feeling the energies beginning to gather around within him, enveloping his body in a golden-blue light.

A great wave of power exploded around the room as Nanaki transformed into his demi-human form, attacking from the sky with his claw outstretched, aiming directly for Hojo. He slashed with great force but was repelled by the barrier that the man had erected all-too-quickly. Nanaki landed delicately on his feet, glaring at the scientist with angry eyes.

Behind them, Hellmasker threw Cid off and kicked at Cloud with a loud growl, causing both to scatter in different directions. He bobbed in between the two blonds, unsure of which to attack first before deciding that the Captain was the easier of the two targets.

In that same moment, two spells were cast.

"Ice 3!" Cid shouted, aiming for Hellmasker.

"DeBarrier!" Yuffie cast, pointing one delicate ninja hand at Hojo.

The fierce echo of Hellmasker's roar accompanied the sound of the Protect barrier shattering, and the demon was slowly encased in a sheet of ice.

"Hurry! Cast Stop while he's weak!!" Cid exclaimed, pushing himself to his feet. He winced a bit from having hit the metal hard earlier.

Mako blue eyes glanced around desperately. "Reeve!!" Cloud roared, remembering that the ex-executive had the only other Time materia.

Nanaki was too busy growling and slashing at Hojo, who was trying to frantically dodge the powerful attacks. Yuffie danced around the room, catching and throwing her shuriken in smooth movements.

The ex-ShinRa looked up from the other side of the platform and unequipped the materia from the slot in his armband. Reeve tossed it to Aeris, who caught it easily, turning to cast on Hellmasker before he completely fought off the Ice 3 attack.

The spell hit Hellmasker full force, and the demon instantly stopped. He was still in the same place even after the ice exploded, sending shards in all directions. Hellmasker was frozen in time, victim of a Stop spell.

The spell was only temporary, so Cloud lunged forward and slugged the demon across the jaw, hoping to knock it out. Thankfully, the heavy body of Hellmasker crashed to the ground.

He lay there motionless for a moment before shining with a dark light. In seconds, Vincent was left, unconscious on the metal flooring of the platform.

"Oh, God, Vince," Cid murmured, dropping to his knees beside the prone form of his lover and ignoring the rest of the battle. He quickly checked for injuries, though he did not try to awaken the gunman until the damned control ring was destroyed.

Cloud sighed at the scene and turned towards the battle with Hojo. Aeris cast her Healing Wind now that she was through with the Stop spell; she was aiding Nanaki and Yuffie, who were both still viciously slicing at the demented scientist.

Laughing manically, Hojo noticed that everyone's the attention was now on him; his distraction technique was down for the count.

"Lasera!!"

The group was forced to take cover as rays of light and energy came bursting from all areas of Hojo's body.

At the control panel, Reeve erected a hastily cast Protect over himself, Reno, and the panel itself. The beams of light struck the shield, but it held.

The others threw themselves to the ground to avoid the stinging lasers. A shuriken flew through the air and slammed into Hojo, cutting off one of his arms, and it dropped to the floor with a squelch, blood spurting from the stump.

The ninja reached up to catch the shuriken but missed when a laser sliced into her forearm, causing her to cry out with the pain.

"That's it!!" Cid growled, tired of fighting the maniacal scientist. He pushed himself to his feet and spun his Scimitar in front of him, effectively warding off the laser attacks that came his way. His body began to glow a deep red.

He stalked towards Hojo, gathering power as he prepared to slay the man that would dare cause harm to his lover. "Hojo! Yer gonna regret the day you touched what's mine!!"

With a great roar of anger, he took to the sky, over and over again, performing a series of jump attacks on Hojo. Each one resulted in a large release of energy, and the madman was powerless to do anything, screaming with each stroke, as his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

Cid dealt the final blow, landing easily on the ground behind Hojo. He grabbed a cigarette and lit it as the scientist collapsed in a heap of burned and mutilated flesh.

Yuffie couldn't resist the cheer that bubbled in her throat at the victory and rose to her feet, hand pumping the air. Everyone else was just as excited, though they were more subdued about it. Reeve took the opportunity to take a moment and shut down the Sister Ray before destroying the panel so that no one could ever use the damned thing again.

Spitting on the body at his feet, Cid reached down and pulled the gold ring off Hojo's rapidly decaying finger. He eyed the slim piece of metal skeptically, taking in the small script that lined the inside of the ring. It was better off destroyed.

With that in mind, he dropped the ring to the floor and crushed it beneath his boot. For reasons he couldn't comprehend, it shattered into pieces, despite the fact it was metal, but considering it a job well done, Cid turned away from the battered and broken body of the scientist. He flicked his cancer stick at Hojo and quickly crossed the platform to come to Vincent's side. He knelt down and gently brushed a hand over the gunman's cheek, noticing how cool he felt to the touch.

"Vince?" Cid called out softly, hoping to awaken his lover, but Vincent still did not stir.

Meanwhile, Yuffie limped over to her friend. She had landed wrong after getting slashed in the arm and had twisted her ankle.

"You changed again," she stated, with an air of obviousness.

"Yes," Nanaki answered simply. "And still I don't know why. What is the catalyst? Can I even control it?"

She placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. At least, it's not something dangerous."

He nodded in agreement, and his golden eyes flashed with happiness until he noticed her arm. "Oh, Yuffie, you are bleeding."

"So I am," the girl murmured, looking at her arm, as if surprised to find blood there.

Nanaki tsked and forced her to sit as he pulled out his Cure materia to heal the cut.

A short distance away, Cid traced one finger down the side of his lover's face. "C'mon, Vince, you can wake up now," he urged. "Hojo's dead, and he's got no power over you now."

The ex-Turk moaned and stirred, eyes opening ever so slowly. "Highwind?" he asked quizzically as he struggled to sit up.

He instantly winced as pain spread throughout his body. The injuries that Hellmasker had endured were not healing fast enough to suit him.

"What happened?"

The Captain shook his head. "What you remember's a better place to start."

"Hmm." Vincent appeared thoughtful as he pulled himself into a sitting position and tried to ignore the stabbing pains in his back. "Confronting Hojo about Sephiroth and the Sister Ray. There are flashes of something else, gold light and black smoke, but that is it." His gaze traveled over the rest of the platform, taking in Reeve with Reno, Nanaki tending to Yuffie, Cloud checking on Aeris, and Cid looking worriedly at him.

"You transformed into Hellmasker, and well… uh, you attacked us," Cid explained.

Vincent's eyes widened. "What! Why?" He had turned into his demon forms plenty of times, but never once had he turned on his friends.

Footsteps across the metal grating of the platform announced the approach of one of the others. "Why didn't you tell us Hojo could control you?" Cloud demanded, interrupting their conversation.

Cid's hands balled into fists at his side. "It wasn't his fault!" he yelled.

"It never is!" Cloud spat sharply in return.

Vincent managed a glare, coughing only slightly. "I didn't know."

The spiky-haired man sighed heavily and scrubbed at his forehead, clearly torn. "Dammit, Vincent! How many times? How many times am I going to have to choose between killing you and saving my friends?"

"I can control it, Strife."

Mako blue eyes rolled. "Like you've been controlling it so far?" he sniped sarcastically.

"I remember a time when you were not under your own power either," Vincent hissed. "Need I remind you as to why Meteor hangs in the sky right now?"

A chilly wind swept through the area, testament to the way the blood drained from Cloud's face.

Vincent continued, his voice low and cold, "Make up your mind about me now, Strife, because I am not going to listen to it anymore. Either you trust me… or you don't. I will walk out of here right now; after all, I got what I came for."

The flower-girl appeared at Cloud's side, laying a soft and restraining hand on his arm, which trembled beneath her touch. "Cloud," she murmured softly. "This could be the choice--"

"Augh!" he yelled angrily, slamming his sword down into the metal of the floor, where it managed to stand upright.

A rain began to fall on the group as he contemplated what to do. It was light and gentle and might have been cleansing, if not for the dark aura surrounding all present.

On the other side of the platform, Reno groaned and started to gain consciousness, waking up to see the worried face of his lover leaning over him.

"Reeve," he whispered, aquamarine eyes blinking blearily.

"I thought I told you to stay safe," Reeve muttered.

The Turk grinned as he struggled to sit up. "I'm a Turk. Safe is not a word we comprehend."

"You idiot," Reeve murmured, but that didn't stop him from wrapping Reno up in a strong embrace, something he had been aching to do ever since he was forced to run from ShinRa in fear for his life. His lover easily returned the hug, burying his face in the older man's neck and breathing in his scent.

Cloud turned away from their private moment, returning his gaze to Vincent, who was still staring at him with those eerie eyes. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't." the ex-Turk pointed out simply. "And that is enough of an answer for me." He stood to leave, swaying lightly on his feet. As indestructible as Vincent Valentine thought he was, he still needed time to heal from his wounds.

"No," Aeris declared, gaining everyone's attention. "The battle for Gaia is not complete. If our strength is diminished by even one, who knows if we will fall or stand? We can't let such petty disagreements stand between us."

Yuffie's voice rose up to join hers, for once sounding strangely sober. "Aeris is right," she agreed.

Nanaki nodded, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "The time for distrust and secrets is well past. Sephiroth is a master at mind games. He could easily tear us apart." He gazed at Cloud, seemingly boring into the blond's mind with his golden eyes.

The leader sighed heavily, rubbing a palm over his face and digging the heel of his hand into his eyes, as if to ease the ache that was slowly building behind the blue orbs. It was too much. How was he supposed to make these kinds of decisions? He didn't want to be the one to drive Vincent away but he couldn't deny the danger the man presented. He didn't want to be the one forced to defeat Sephiroth yet the duty fell in his hands.

"Cloud?" Aeris' concerned tone pierced through his angst in the same moment that a gentle hand settled on his shoulder. He hadn't even heard her step across the ground towards him.

The former SOLDIER gritted his teeth, shaking his head. "Not right now," he responded softly before raising his gaze to the others who were looking confused. "Just... everyone get back to the ship." He was met with even more perplexed stares. Growling under his breath, he jerkily rose to his feet, affixing them with a glare as Aeris' hand slid from his shoulder.

"Get back to the ship," Cloud repeated, enunciating each word.

This time they obeyed, Cid helping his lover limp away from the platform as Reeve supported Reno. Nanaki and Yuffie cast confused glances towards their leader before they, too, padded quietly away, stepping lightly down the metal steps. Only Cloud and Aeris were left alone on the platform, smoldering bodies littering the ground and a fizzing, sparking console to the far right.

Jade eyes turned towards the man she loved. "Cloud?"

The blond sighed, reaching forward and grasping the hilt of his sword to yank it from the ground, absentmindedly shaking rain drops from his hair. "Answers are not that easy to come by," he murmured, swinging the blade through the air with a few quick exercises before maneuvering it into the sheath on his back. "I know that he is dangerous and I know that something like this could and probably will happen again."

"You don't know that," Aeris countered, her voice gently chastising. "You really can't be certain of anything. And honestly Cloud, has he ever actually permanently hurt any one of us?"

Cloud pursed his lips in thought. "It's not that easy," he replied, dodging the question.

"We need him," Aeris insisted. She stepped forward, placing her hands on Cloud's shoulders and forcing him to look at her. "The battle with Sephiroth can't be won without him."

Mako eyes widened. "You know that?" he questioned, not putting it past the Ancient. She could have learned anything while she was in the Life stream.

But she only smiled enigmatically. "The future isn't set in stone, so no. But I do know Sephiroth is strong." Her gaze slid to the side as her grin faded. "This may very well be our last."

A low rush of wind escaped the man's lips as his shoulders sagged. "Yes, I know. I had planned on doing this sooner but then that damn Hojo went crazy... but there's something we all have to do before we can even think of fighting Sephiroth."

"What is it?" Aeris asked, tilting her head to the side.

Cloud merely flicked his eyes away from her, darting quickly over the charred bodies. "Not here. I will tell you when we get back on the Highwind," he answered.

There was nothing left for them in Midgar. And Cloud had no more plans to stay.

---


	33. Not a Perfect Person

**Chapter Thirty-Three: Not a Perfect Person**

Nanaki inhaled sharply as the airship gave just the slightest hitch. The pilot seemed to still be having trouble with his landing. The demi-human easily regained his balance, rocking with the movement as he stood waiting patiently in the cargo bay.

Cloud's order left little room for argument. They were facing a foe from which there was small chance of survival. It was only apt that they get their business in order before the end, and he had given them three days. It was actually kind of him.

As for Nanaki, well, it was time for him to go home, if only for a short while. It was fine with him because he was could to see his Grandfather again, but he couldn't help the tiny pangs in his heart at the fact that he wouldn't get to be with Yuffie for a few days. There was something about being with the ninja girl that made him feel _alive_ and completely human, no matter what form his body took. She had an unfailingly exuberant exterior and a contemplative, calm interior that she rarely showed the others. It made him feel special that he was one of the rare few to see that side of her.

Another rough gust of wind battered at the descending airship, and it swayed just a bit more. Nanaki cursed under his breath and grabbed a handhold to wait it out. He still wasn't too keen on the whole flying bit, believing whole-heartedly that feet should stay in the vicinity of the ground.

After Cloud had ordered them all "to just go", a few had stood around, trying to figure out exactly where he meant. Nanaki knew instantly that he wanted to return home and made certain to tell the pilot first. However, something told him that his reasons were not just for Cosmo Canyon. Perhaps he would go to his father's grave again. None of the monsters in the Gi Nattak cave could bother him as strong as he was now.

On further contemplation, he realized that he planned to do exactly that. Perhaps he would be able to draw strength simply from seeing Seto.

"Nanaki, you would leave without saying goodbye?" came the very recognizable voice of Yuffie Kisaragi.

The demi-human turned from his musings and greeted his young friend. Well, considering his current form, they were around the same age.

"Sorry, but we were already close to the canyon when I told the pilot to drop me off. I hardly had time to grab a few things."

She pouted as she crossed her arms and huffed. "Yeah right; you know you just would miss me too much."

He smiled at her. Perhaps there was truth to the matter.

"Are you going home?"

She nodded and moved to stand beside him, staring out the small window in the bay door. "Gotta see the old man before the world ends; let him know I'm not about to give up yet!!" She grinned then, flashing him one of her devious looks. "I'm still running a bit low on materia," she added casually, hinting with little innocence.

"Oh?" Nanaki teased holding up a small, green ball. "Like the one you just swiped from me?"

Her mouth dropped as her hand dug into the pocket where she had stuffed the pilfered materia. "Nanaki, you've gotten sneaky."

"Have to keep up with you somehow, ne?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, putting the materia back into its proper slot on his armlet.

She grinned broadly at him until she felt the airship give a slight bump, indicating that it had successfully completed its landing. A solemn look came over her face as the ramp began to descend and the bay doors opened.

"You're coming back, right?"

He reached out and pulled her into a hug, which she returned with equal vigor. "If I didn't, Cloud and the others would be fighting materia-less, ne?"

She laughed at that, pulling away as the doors finished rolling open with a clank and rattle. The old man really needed to get to fixing that.

"Hey, I'm not that bad!" Yuffie protested.

He looked down at her smiling face and felt his heart begin to race. She was a beautiful girl; there was no doubt about that.

"No, you're not. You had better be coming back as well."

The little ninja stuck out a hand as if to shake. "It's a promise."

Nanaki reached out and grasped warmly. "A promise."

He didn't understand why he did it or what compelled him, but something about the moment felt right, like he couldn't leave without saying a proper goodbye. And with the sun setting behind them and knowing it was time for him to go, Nanaki gave a small pull. Yuffie gasped and stumbled forwards into his waiting arms, and she looked up at him with confusion. However, he silenced her questions when he leaned down and claimed her lips with his own.

The ninja felt soft to him, unbelievably soft, and her mouth parted willingly on a breathy sigh. He gave her a tentative swipe with his tongue, just getting a taste of the exotic and sweet flavor before pulling back, as if surprised by what he had done.

Instantly, he felt embarrassment wash over his features and his cheeks reddened. "Um… g--goodbye, Miss Kisaragi," he stuttered before taking off down the ramp and into the Cosmo Canyon area.

Mentally, the demi-human cursed himself as he ran towards his home. He was a fool. What if he had just damaged their relationship permanently?

Yuffie stared after him, a dreamy expression on her face as a hand unconsciously went to her lips, and there was lingering sensation of his mouth on hers. The ninja instantly blushed at the thought as she mechanically reached forward and pressed the button that would close the cargo bay doors.

She knew the incident would remain on her thoughts, even as she headed home.

---

Vincent pressed his lover up against the door, swallowing the blond's lips in a fervent kiss as he pushed a knee between Cid's legs hungrily. Slowly, he ground his hips into the pilot's, eliciting a breathy moan that only made him want to ravish Cid even more. He hurriedly unbuckled the scarlet cloak and flung it across the floor, also removing the headband that restrained his hair. They were just scraps of clothing that were unnecessary for the moment, at least to the gunman's aroused mind.

Cid had no complaints as he was pushed forcefully up against a solid surface. Indeed, his libido would have smacked him silly if he even thought to protest. It came as no surprise that after Cloud had made his proclamation Vincent had practically dragged him to his room. There was a sense of urgency in his touches, a note of desperation in the kiss that made Cid believe Vincent was simply craving the physical pleasure and intimacy. That something inside of him wanted to convince himself he was still human underneath the form of a monster.

The pilot reached around the gunman and pulled Vincent closer to him, putting their bodies as close to each other as possible and deepening their kiss. He stroked his tongue over the other man's, absorbing the breathy moan that the action produced with a shiver.

And yet, this time seemed different. Vincent was being a bit more forceful than usual, and he was also taking his time, slowly exploring the blond's body and lingering in his kisses. Something inside Cid knew that it wasn't just about the fight with Hojo that had made his lover act in such a way. And he also knew that he wasn't about to let Vincent have all the control this time.

His instincts were telling him that this was the time, the moment to finally put their slowly budded trust to the test. He was going to make love to Vincent this time around, to prove that he truly cared. He was going to show that the memories Vincent feared facing were just that. Memories.

They would be replaced with something better.

Breaking off the kiss, albeit reluctantly, Cid tangled his fingers in Vincent's raven tresses and tilted the man's head down towards his, looking deeply into red eyes. There was lust there and a fiery need but also the hint of something more. And it was that hint that drove Cid to finally say what he had wanted to say for a while now.

"Let me show you what it is to be human," the Captain said gently, rubbing a calloused thumb over Vincent's soft cheek.

It was probably the first time the other man had ever heard such a gentle tone to the pilot's voice, and despite the suggestion, it warmed something inside of him, soothing the unnatural apprehension that threatened to build.

Vincent's eyes narrowed. "I already told you--"

Cid shook his head, interrupting whatever reason he knew was going to come out of Vincent's mouth. "Yer the same size as me, Vince. I don't wanna hear that bullshit excuse anymore… as complimentary it may be." He lowered his tone, continuously rubbing his thumb over the pale cheek that was already beginning to flush with emotion.

"I understand now, even if ya didn't," he continued. "All I ask is that ya trust me to make you feel good. You once came to me with the same offer to make the pain go away. Can't I do the same?"

To any other person, it was a logical argument. But fear and trepidation were often illogical emotions, and Vincent frowned, feeling the sudden urge to get away. Cid's arms remained locked tight around hi, however, and there was nowhere to run. The pilot refused to let go until he got an answer, not an evasive response either.

Vincent turned his head and lowered his gaze, staring resolutely at the floor. He sighed in resignation.

"Trust…" he began slowly, his brow furrowing. "I trust you, Cid. Perhaps even more than is safe for me, but…" He paused for a moment. "You ask for too much."

It was an irrational fear, and while he didn't believe for one second that Cid would ever intentionally hurt him, he couldn't get the flashes out of his head. He didn't want to let loose of that final bit of control. With Hojo, that had been his biggest pain, the complete feeling of helplessness, especially for a man who was once Commander of the Turks. He felt if he loosened his grip in the slightest that he would lose what bit of sanity he had left. He didn't know if he could place that in anyone else's hands, even if he knew he could trust them.

Of course, he wasn't going to explain this to Cid either. He didn't want anyone to know of his own ridiculous qualms and apprehensions. It was somewhat foolish, but that didn't make it any less real. Running away from the past simply because he feared too much to face it was supposed to be a problem for weaker men, not Vincent Valentine.

And yet, in some small way, a spark inside of him was daring to hope. It wanted that freedom, and it wanted him to stop being such a coward. He suspected the part of him that still remained the Turk from thirty years ago was the one that was so loudly telling him to suck it up and be a man again.

Fingers gently grasped his head and turned Vincent to face his lover once more. He claimed the ex-Turk's lips in a passionate kiss, trying to input all his desire and feelings. It was slow and gentle, encouraging but not the least bit domineering.

It was a comforting kiss.

"Lemme show you how it's s'posed to be," Cid whispered softly against his lips, trapping a crimson-eyed gaze with his own. "I don't want to lose this chance."

The unspoken words hung heavy on the air, that in six days, they might not get another.

Vincent sighed and closed his eyes, trying to fight down the apprehension that was building up within him. He leaned his head forward and buried his face in the pilot's neck, breathing in the smoky scent that he had come to recognize as belonging exclusively to Cid.

He sucked in a ragged breath, fighting against the unconscious desire rising up in him to run, the unreasonable terror. He wanted to be free of his past, true enough. He wanted to be the man he used to be or even just someone new and different, and really, he knew that he trusted Cid enough to do it.

It was too much to ask, and yet, with the possibility that there was only six days left in his life, it really wasn't too much to give. For the man that caused all of his barriers to burst one by one, until he was left blinking in the blinding light, Vincent believed that there might even be a way.

"I will trust you," he conceded, hating how his voice came out barely louder than a whisper. He felt rather than saw the grin that spread across Cid's lips.

"I trust you," Cid returned, and although it didn't seem to be the proper response, there was something in the way that he said it that brought a note of calm into Vincent's soul.

Crimson eyes rose, and it was only inevitable that their lips found each other. It was slow and exploratory, like a first kiss. And in a way it was; it was the first time that Vincent had allowed the blond to take the lead. The thought was slightly alarming, but he was comforted by the fact that this was Cid and not some deranged madman with the need to make him scream.

Their clothes began to fall to the floor in haphazard piles as Vincent was slowly edged back towards the bed, hands roaming without ceasing over his skin. Palms grazed over the sides of his body, and Vincent shivered at the gentle touch, already feeling a lazy pulse circulating through his blood.

The back of his knees hit the bed, and he lowered himself down, Cid's stockier body blanketing his as their legs tangled. The pilot kissed him, inwardly frowning at the still visible tenseness to his lover's body. He was already getting himself worked up.

"You gotta relax, baby," he murmured, reaching out and sliding a hand over the pale, scarred chest.

He traced the outline of one jagged scar before settling on a dusky nipple. Vincent's back arched as the calloused digit encircled his nipple, rubbing a thumb over the peaked flesh.

The other man moaned softly, and ever so slightly, he began to relax.

Cid's lips moved downwards, brushing over the long line of a pale throat before latching onto a nipple. A breathy moan escaped from Vincent's throat, sounding almost like a purr. The gunman's hands settled on Cid's hips as he bucked upwards, grinding their rapidly hardening groins together. This, he could handle.

"Unngh."

A groan escaped Vincent's mouth as teeth tugged gently on his nipple, scruff scraping against Vincent's chest, and one of Cid's hands snaked between their bodies to wrap fingers around his lover's erection as he stroked.

The gunman's breathing began to quicken as his heart raced, his mind blanking out in a sensual haze. Through the pleasure, he could scarcely remember why he had been so apprehensive in the first place.

"Do me a favor," Cid mumbled against his flesh. "Reach up and get that lube from beneath the pillow."

Vincent's brow furrowed as his mind fought its way to some semblance of coherency, needing a second to interpret the pilot's words. His hand reached up above him, digging beneath the pillow as requested, although he was slightly confused. They didn't normally keep the lube under the pillow.

His fingers wrapped around a small bottle, one that felt more like glass than plastic, and he emerged victoriously with the vial. He pulled his arm down, running his gaze over the bottle that he was certain had to be new. His eyes widened in surprise before flickering down to the pilot, who was grinning from ear to ear in smug satisfaction. It was his favorite scent: Pina Coloda. The Captain liked the smell of cookies, and Vincent happened to have a fondness for coconut.

"How did you…?" The question trailed off as a thumb rubbed over the tip of his arousal, and he shivered.

Fingers stroked down, palming the gunman's scrotum lightly as Cid chuckled. "I remembered," he answered succinctly, dipping his head down to lick at the other pebbled nipple. "Ya told me in Mideel."

"I see," he murmured, but he really wasn't paying attention to the conversation anymore. He blindly handed over the lube to his lover, forgetting for the moment that he was supposed to be apprehensive as more pleasurable sensations rocked his body.

Cid's lips returned to his, and Vincent slipped his tongue inside Cid's mouth, stroking the muscled flesh diligently. He wrapped his arms around the pilot's neck, forcing their bodies flush together so that their needy arousals ground together. The sensation was heightened by the slickness of their precum, already dribbling continuously from fully aroused cocks.

The pilot roamed an empty hand down over the planes of Vincent's body, caressing each of his sensitive spots and enjoying the sounds that the gunman was making. He didn't even need the ex-Turk to touch him to get aroused. The sounds were quite enough.

Ignoring the gunman's protests, Cid broke away from the kiss and began to nip his way down other man's body. He nibbled a little on the pale flesh of an inner thigh before he finally found himself where he wanted to be, kneeling between the gunman's legs with his straining erection in sight. He eyed Vincent hungrily before leaning down and giving him an experimental lick. The flavor of the other man's arousal burst over his tongue, slightly bitter but essentially still Vincent.

Vincent released a breathy sigh and buried his hands in the pilot's hair, urging him to continue. The initial nervousness seemed to fade as he found himself drowning in the pleasure Cid was giving him. A hand settled on the outside of his hip, a warm and comforting weight that did much to assuage his faint trembling.

The pilot drew the former Turk into his mouth completely, taking in as much of the length as he was able. He swirled his tongue around and sucked alternatively. His lover was writhing beneath him, awash in the sensation and finally relaxing. He could already feel that familiar heat building up in his groin, his pulse pounding madly in his ears.

Cid took that opportunity to uncap the oil and begin to coat his fingers, though never ceasing in his mouth torture. The room filled with the tropical scents of pineapple and coconut. He wanted Vincent to know only pleasure and was trying to distract him from the inevitable first pain. After all, it had been close to thirty years for the man.

He slipped his oil-slicked hand down between the gunman's legs and searched for the tiny, puckered entrance. When he found it, he traced circles around the edge, oiling up the outside and teasing his lover. Slowly, he began to press in one finger very gently.

Almost immediately, Vincent tensed up as he felt the invading digit. His entire body seized up, and he gasped.

Cid released the gunman's erection from his mouth and crawled up Vincent's body, capturing his lips. "Relax, baby, or it's going to hurt no matter what I do."

"I am relaxed," the ex-Turk responded in an irritated tone.

Cid shook his head at the obvious lie, something inside of him inordinately pleased that Vincent was at least trying. He tried to soothe the Vincent's fears by moving down and nibbling on his pale neck, especially around the ears, a particularly sensitive spot. His finger continued to rub circles around his lover's anus, gently loosening the outer rim.

Vincent moaned and clutched at Cid's body, barely able to think beyond the pleasure that the pilot was giving him. He slowly relaxed, lost to the sensations of the blond's lips on his neck.

The Captain took that opportunity to press the oil-slicked finger completely inside his apprehensive lover and begin to stretch him. When Vincent didn't protest or tense up further, Cid added another, using a scissoring motion to stretch him. He was going to do everything he was able to make sure that he didn't hurt his lover.

Vincent's right hand trailed down the blond's back, heading dangerously south to slip between the pilot's two cheeks and running a finger around his tight ring.

Cid couldn't help but moan at the feeling, wanting to buck backwards at the teasing digit. Yet, he restrained himself, instead adding in a third finger, since Vincent was so inclined to start teasing the pilot in his own way. He felt deep inside the gunman's body, searching for the one spot that would make Vincent melt in his arms. The blond knew he had found it when the ex-Turk suddenly gripped his ass, all but purring.

Cid stopped sucking on his lover's neck, noting with satisfaction that he left a dark, purplish-red mark in his wake. He pulled back just enough to look at his gunman as he continued to pump the ex-Turk with his fingers, making sure to hit his prostate each time.

The gunman was truly a beautiful sight: eyes closed in passion, mouth parted slightly emitting small moans of pleasure, forehead just beginning to sweat. Dark hair was spread across the pillow, and an aroused flush was traveling across his fair cheeks.

Cid found he would have been able to stare all night if he was so inclined. However, there was more that he had in store for the ex-Turk, and so he pulled away reluctantly.

Sitting back on his lower legs and removing his fingers, Cid dug around in the covers until he found the earlier discarded bottle of oil and poured a liberal amount on his fingers. He coated his straining erection with the sweet smelling lubricant before capping the bottle and tossing it away.

He leaned forward and balanced his weight on his left arm as it settled heavily into the bed next to the gunman's head. He used his right to guide himself slowly to Vincent's entrance. The head of his cock nudged the stretched ring but didn't pierce.

"Are you ready?" he asked gently.

Vincent's eyes popped open, not having expected the question. Cid had effectively put all the control, all the power into his hands, and there was something comforting in that fact. He could say no. He could push the pilot away if he wanted, not that he did. The point was, he had the option, and that instantly sent a wash of calm throughout his entire body.

His hands curled around Cid's biceps as his eyes shuttered closed once more. "Yes," he answered quietly, and the one word answer was strangely freeing.

Cid nodded, leaning down to brush his lips over the tip of Vincent's ears as he gently began to press inside, inch by agonizing inch. He clenched his teeth as his arousal was encased in tight heat, the other man's muscles rhythmically clasping around the unwelcome intruder. Beneath him, Vincent hissed at the girth, fingers digging into Cid's arm but didn't protest, didn't ask him to stop.

He wanted to stop being a coward.

But that didn't stop the memories from coming, from flashing through his mind at a rapid pace. His own cries. The smell of his own blood on the air. Blinding pain, the feeling of being torn in two. Something blunt cracking down over his spine and something else pricking into his skin. A taunting laughter and mocking cackle. Liquid streaming down his thighs, acrid and wet.

It wasn't the same; he knew this on some rational level, but that didn't stop his heart from pounding in his chest. Unconsciously, Vincent seized up, clutching at Cid's arms tightly, cutting into one with his claw. With a slight gasp of pain from the blond, he felt a fraction better as it sent a treble of control back to his anguished mind. He sucked in a deep breath and held it, as if that would stop the sudden onslaught of welcome memories.

Then, a hand settled on his face, a thumb rubbing away a lone tear that he hadn't even realized he had shed.

"Open your eyes," Cid commanded, though his voice was kind.

Crimson eyes fluttered open, locking directly onto familiar sky blue. All at once, the images vanished, as if they had never been there at all.

"I'm going to replace those nightmares with sumthin' better," the blond intoned, his eyes never leaving the pale face of his lover. "Don't let that bastard ruin your life forever."

Vincent nodded, unable to find any words as his hands continued to clench tightly, his claw drawing blood as it dug into Cid's flesh. The pilot didn't seem to mind too terribly as he bent down and claimed Vincent's lips. His hips shifted forward, and he pressed further, seating himself inside his lover until there was nowhere further to go.

Cid moaned deeply as he felt himself buried completely inside Vincent and ensheathed within the warm, wet heat. He stilled for a moment, allowing the gunman to get used to the feeling. He could feel Vincent clenching and unclenching around him, and his own blood thudded desperately in his veins. The blinding roar of orgasm hovered on the edge of his control, and he sought desperately to hold onto it.

Unconsciously, Vincent wrapped his legs around Cid's waist and ground himself down on the pilot's hardness. There was something satisfying in being filled in such a way that made the former Turk forget everything sick and twisted that had ever happened to him. All that mattered was this feeling.

The scent of arousal hung heavy in the air, and there was the music of breathy moans and sweat slicked skin rubbing together. The taste of smoke and spice filled the gunman, along with the feeling of being owned so completely.

Cid pulled out almost to the tip before pressing himself back inside. He began a slow and steady rhythm, able to feel the man shuddering beneath him. He shifted his weight just a little, changing the angle.

Amazingly, Vincent melted in his arms, voraciously attacking his lips and face.

The pilot moved all his weight to his elbow, again changing the angle but pressing himself more firmly against the gunman's body. He trapped Vincent's neglected hardness between their two sweat-soaked frames.

"Gods," moaned Vincent. "Don't you dare stop."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Cid murmured, rolling his hips and sliding his cock against Vincent's prostate with a well-aimed thrust.

The gunman arched into the blond's touch, bucking up to meet the pilot thrust for thrust. He could feel his erection being caressed by the friction between their bodies, and he could already sense the molten sweetness pooling in his belly and threatening to explode. He slid his flesh hand down the blond's back and grabbed his ass, squeezing it tightly.

"Uhn… Cid…" His breath came in sharp pants, and he could tell that he was close.

"Damn, Vince… you're so tight," groaned Cid in return, unable to resist the temptation of looking down at his lover.

At the sight of the normally composed man looking so needy and aroused, he lost all sense of keeping a steady rhythm. He frenetically pumped his hips, delighting in the purring whimpers issuing from Vincent's throat as the dark-haired man chewed on his bottom lip. He angled his hips once more and shoved himself deeply inside his lover, sliding along Vincent's prostate. He built the two of them to a crescendo and fury unlike anything they had ever felt before.

"Uhhh… C--CID!!!" Vincent cried loudly, his entire body arching as he literally exploded between their bodies, his seed coating their stomachs.

Hearing his name on Vincent's lips in a moment of passion combined with the indescribable feeling of the gunman's spasming around him, Cid couldn't help himself. He climaxed with a low groan, Vincent's name on his lips as he spilled his seed deep inside the other man.

His arms wobbled, and Cid collapsed on top of Vincent, breathing heavily. His whole body felt drained and sated and sticky. It was a good feeling.

It took great effort, but he slowly pulled out his lover and rolled over on his side so that he was no longer crushing him. He could feel Vincent still shaking and pulled his lover into his arms. Cid relaxed against the bed, instantly feeling like he could sleep for a whole day.

This had only confirmed what he had already suspected. He was totally and completely in love with Vincent. He couldn't say the exact point when it had happened or even why; nevertheless, he understood now. It felt like the perfect moment to confess, and he opened his mouth to do just that.

Yet, Vincent's somewhat weary voice spoke first.

"Thanks, Cid," Vincent murmured. He knew that there were better, more appropriate things he could have said, like perhaps even the truth of the feelings in his heart. Yet, all that managed to come out was a note of thanks.

Cid's arms briefly squeezed him as he nuzzled into the gunman's hair, breathing in the exotic scent. "My pleasure," he purred, and Vincent shook his head, amused at the smug tone in his pilot's voice.

"We should shower," Vincent commented after a moment of silence.

The pilot made an unintelligible sound in the back of his throat. "Later," he mumbled. "Jes… lemme stay like this for now."

He couldn't begrudge his lover that much, so the gunman relaxed against the bed, still floating in that post-orgasm bliss. It was quiet, and he dimly registered the sound of a clock ticking, as well as the steady thrum of the Highwind around them.

It was comforting.

Cid stirred. "Vince?"

"Hm?"

"Are ya coming back?"

The gunman stiffened at the question, unsure how he was going to answer. The recent events had not made him change his mind in the slightest; in fact, they only served to further ensure that he was taking the correct path.

"…I can't answer that honestly."

"Hmph. Just don't get yourself killed…" Cid's voice was getting softer now, speaking in his last waking moments, and the gunman smiled lightly at this. Cid was always one quick to fall asleep.

Vincent remained silent as he listened to the pilot's breathing as it began to even. His lover's arms slowly relaxed around his body, and a gentle rumbled emanated from Cid's mouth, causing the former Turk to smile briefly.

For a moment, Vincent just lay there, comfortable and seemingly secure. He breathed in the scent of their lovemaking combined with the lingering overtones of pina colada. He couldn't help the true grin that broke out on his face. He soaked up the warmth of Cid's embrace and entertained thoughts of just lying there forever, never leaving and confessing what was in his heart over and over.

But that was only until rationality kicked in, along with the realization that there were still things that he had to do first. Being with the pilot had been healing for him, but many questions were unanswered, most especially ones concerning his immortality and his body. He needed to know what he truly felt for Lucrecia, and he didn't know if he could even dare to hope for a future with Cid.

Sighing softly to himself, Vincent slowly began to inch his way out of the bed. He eased out from the touch of the blond's arms and carefully slid off the bed, barely disturbing it. Cid murmured to himself, and the dark-haired man froze, unable to help the thought that he was a coward for doing so. Yet, the pilot merely shifted and snuggled deeper into the covers.

The ex-Turk turned and pulled up a blanket, covering Cid's naked form so that he wouldn't get cold in the middle of the night, then set about finding his clothes. He dressed quickly and silently, his movements fluid. Vincent picked up his boots, intending on putting them back on when he left the room, but his hand paused on the doorknob. He couldn't leave without telling the pilot _something_.

Exhaling quietly, he turned and headed towards the table. He carefully rifled through the desk drawer, finding a pen and piece of paper; he sat down and began to write. It was quite a difficult task for him as he tried to find the words without being sappy or overly dramatic.

_Cid,_

_Please forgive my cowardice in not saying this to you personally, but I fear if I had, I may never have left. There are things that I must know, truths that have eluded me. _

_I have gone to find my purpose to fight, to survive. There are some things I must take care of if I am going to join this battle, some pieces of my past that need to be closed. There are still unanswered questions I could not even begin to detail in this brief missive. _

_I am slowly coming to terms with what, or should I say who, I am and the events of my past. I have you to thank for that. Last night will be something that lingers in my mind as I am searching. _

_I hope three days finds me back on this airship and you as well._

_Vincent V._

He stared at the letter, glaring at it critically. What he wrote would have to do, though he was not satisfied with the way it had turned out. He had failed to mention one part of his journey but didn't really want to worry Cid. He wasn't certain if it would come to that just yet. And even if Aeris' sacrifice had been…

Vincent shook his head, clearing away that thought. It would do no good to think of that right now.

Folding the note once, he wrote the pilot's name on the front and then set it on the nightstand. He found Cid's cigarettes and also placed the foul things next to his letter. He had a feeling the pilot would need them.

He dared one last glance towards his sleeping lover before he picked up his boots once more, and Vincent opened the door, peering out carefully before stepping into the hallway, locking the door behind him. He sighed heavily as he considered going back in and then shook his head forcefully.

He couldn't be what Cid wanted or even what he wanted for himself, not if he were still broken. Perhaps after his journey and after the battle, it would be something to look forward to.

He bent down and quickly put on his boots. Once they were sufficiently tightened, he headed for the cockpit. It was time to tell the pilot to take him to Nibelheim. As much as he didn't want to return to that foul place, he had the feeling that the answer to all his questions could be found there.


	34. For Love of a Parent

**Chapter Thirty-Four: For Love of a Parent**

Nanaki ran into Cosmo Canyon, a mixture of happiness and sadness evident in his eyes. He was eager to see his grandfather again but also a bit apprehensive towards Yuffie. He wondered if their relationship would ever be the same since he had kissed her. The demi-human wasn't even sure why he had done so either. It was just a moment and a feeling, then he was pressing his lips to hers.

He had always felt a connection with the ninja girl, and there was no doubt about that. However, it wasn't until he obtained his human-like form that he started viewing her in a human sense. He noticed that she had wonderfully expressive eyes and shining, soft hair. He began to understand her cheerfulness and saucy attitude. When he had changed, he started to look at her in a whole new light.

As he walked up the stairs towards his home, he still pondered. What would she think of him now? Would she hate him, or worse, would she feel the same?

He wasn't sure if he could handle that possibility. After all, it was not going to happen. She was Yuffie, princess of Wutai. He was simply Nanaki, demi-human… but wait a minute. Wasn't he also a lord or something like that?

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Nanaki pushed open the door to his house. "Grandfather?"

"Here, in the observatory."

Nanaki instantly headed for the ladder, climbing up to find his grandfather looking interested at a particular star in the sky.

"Why are you home, not that I mind?" Bugenhagen asked, greeting the demi-human with a smile.

"Cloud told gave us three days to find our reasons for fighting. Of course, I came here."

The elderly man tilted his head to the side, a strange expression crossing his face. "Hmm, interesting," he commented, an odd lilt to his tone before he turned back to the star.

"What are you looking at?" Nanaki questioned as he moved beside him. He, too, looked at the interesting star but couldn't discern what was so special about it since the star had roughly the same characteristics as most others. Nor did he feel it emanating any particular power.

Bugenhagen hummed thoughtfully, a slightly singsong note to his voice. "Did you know that each person on this planet has their own representative star?" He chuckled, before adding, "Or that is what the Ancients believed."

Nanaki shook his head. "You taught me once, but I am afraid that I had forgotten."

Bugenhagen chuckled. "That is quite all right. This star here is called Akinan, and it is yours. It seems to have shifted out of alignment though."

"Interesting," Nanaki mused aloud.

"Very." The old sage nodded. "Your life is changing, my child." His voice took on a serious tone. "You are going to have to understand that. The world has become a new experience for you now that you see through different eyes."

Golden eyes shifted away as his thoughts turned inwards. "I want to protect Cosmo Canyon, just like my father," Nanaki mused aloud. "I think it is part of my reason, but I still feel… _lost_." He hesitated, aggravated with his inability to find the appropriate words. "It is like there is something missing, something that I lack."

A smile twitched at the corner of his grandfather's mouth. "It is around that time in your life," the elderly man stated with a smirk. "They grow up so fast," he mused.

The demi-human blinked, confused by the seeming change in topic. "Heh?"

The old man shook his head. "Never mind." He turned towards his grandchild. "I assume you wish to see your father once more?"

"How did you--"

He laughed, full and jovial. "It is my business to know such things. Come." Bugenhagen floated past him and down the ladder.

The demi-human gave his grandfather a confused glance but followed after him. How did Bugenhagen seem to know everything?

It was as if the whole of Gaia whispered to him her secrets, as if they were best girlfriends or something.

Nanaki tilted his head to the side as that rather comical image appeared in his mind and had to bite back on his laughter. But the look of amusement didn't leave his face.

Bugenhagen noticed and raised one aging brow, but Nanaki simply shook his head, gesturing for his grandfather to continue as they finally stood in front of the huge door. The old sage opened it with a sparkle of magic, and the two entered the cave, on the lookout for the monsters that might be brave enough to attack.

They made it through relatively unharmed. Nanaki slipped on the oil spill, not paying attention to where he was going. Yet, a well timed protect prevented him from becoming seriously injured.

He was too busy thinking to really pay heed to where he was placing his feet. He wondered about his reason for fighting. Hojo was dead, ShinRa was finished, but he personally had no grudge against Sephiroth. Well, other than the fact that the ex-general had once killed someone very dear to him, so perhaps he did have a grudge. Yet, was revenge enough?

And even wanting to save the planet brought to mind the question of why it was they who turned out to be the heroes.

Was it destiny or fate? Was all everyone doomed to live out their prescribed destinies? Did they even have a choice in their path? Was freedom a part of life?

Such questions haunted Nanaki as he walked.

He wondered why he had changed. Why was he a demi-human now? Why had he reverted to his lupine form earlier in the week? For what purpose had he become human-like?

He still had hopes of finding a female of his kind to revive his clan. Or perhaps his transformation was a sign that it was his destiny to be the last of his kind.

"Thinking darkly again?" Bugenhagen's voice cut into his musings.

"Hm?" Nanaki looked up.

"Your face is pointed inwards and is shadowed. You are thinking unhappy thoughts, no?" his grandfather questioned.

The demi-human sighed. "Things are changing faster than I can adapt. There are so many questions, and I feel like someone is dangling the answers in front of me. Yet, I'm only grasping at straws."

Which brought to mind Yuffie. Energetic, fearless, and friendly ninja that she was, Yuffie was also his best friend, and he had kissed her!

Inwardly, Nanaki groaned. He would be lucky if he had a friend when he returned. There were simply too many emotions, too many human problems for him to deal with. In his lupine form, he never had to worry about kissing the human females, but now, Nanaki couldn't help the sigh that escaped him.

Bugenhagen looked over at his adopted grandson, trying to understand whether or not he could be of any help to the younger male. He seemed so torn with indecision. The wise sage was unhappy that he could not discover the purpose behind the amulet or why Nanaki kept transforming. Seto had never had such a thing happen to him. It was a perplexing mystery.

Despite having recognized the amulet from the pictures in his scrolls, none of them could provide an explanation for its use. He had discovered that it had been missing for some time, but the scrolls didn't explain how it had gotten lost. And why on Gaia was it in the Temple of the Ancients?

These mysterious continued to perplex the old man, and he dearly wished he could be of more use to his only kin. Nanaki, as old as he may seem, still needed someone to guide him, especially now that he had to adapt to this sudden change in his form. He didn't ever think it was going to be easy for his grandson, and it appeared that things were only going to become more complicated.

Before long, the two found themselves standing just outside Seto's finally resting place. Bugenhagen gestured that Nanaki should go, not feeling that his presence was required.

Nanaki took a deep breath, grabbing the amulet as he went; recently, he had begun to take comfort in the cool metal. It filled him with inner peace. Although he didn't know why, he accepted the mental tranquility.

The demi-human moved into the area and looked up at the forlorn figure of his father. He felt humbled being in the great lion-wolf's presence, and he clutched the amulet tighter as he sat on the ground, legs tucked beneath him. He gazed up at the stoic form and began to talk quietly to the father he could not even remember.

"I know I do not look it, but it's me father. It's Nanaki. I cannot explain why I am in this form; I honestly don't know. To be truthful, I am not even sure why I came. It is not like I am seeking guidance. I supposed, I just wanted someone to listen without offering comments." The demi-human paused, taking a deep breath.

He really should have felt strange talking to someone who couldn't hear, his voice echoing around the large emptiness. Instead, however, a strange measure of calm filled his heart. He didn't feel foolish in the slightest.

"I am off to save the world. Just as you protected Cosmo Canyon from the enemy, I am going to protect the planet from Sephiroth and Meteor. Cloud told us that we all have to find a reason, something that will make us fight." Nanaki stopped for a moment, hands clenching as he thought out his next words.

"I used to think I didn't need a reason since I already had one in protecting my homeland and my planet. Yet, now I realize, I am not certain that is enough. It seems everyone has another purpose, and sometimes, I feel so… alone."

He shifted where he sat, feeling numb from the cold stone beneath him. "Barret… he loves his daughter very much. Cloud has recently had Aeris returned to him, and he has his own personal vendetta, desire to become his own person without Sephiroth's influence." Nanaki tilted his head. "I won't even begin to hypothesize about Cid and Vincent. I only hope that they realize what they have in each other. Reeve and Reno have made it clear that they are in love…" he trailed off, face shining with a sudden thought as a small smile broke out onto his face. "Isn't it a wonderful emotion? Love?" Nanaki couldn't help the sarcastic smile that broke out over his face. His golden eyes seemed to be tinged with sadness.

"I wouldn't know, of course. It is not like there is someone out there waiting for me. I'm the last of my kind, and what human could love a beast? Certainly none that I know, and to make matters worse, I have probably estranged my best friend. I can't believe that I kissed her. Why would I do that?" Nanaki sighed as he shook his head.

"Love would be something worth fighting for. I may not have someone waiting for me here, but perhaps there is someone out there that can love me. That hope could be enough of a reason, meeting my mate one day, feeling complete."

"Indeed. It is one of the most powerful emotions of the human soul," Bugenhagen said softly, stepping out of the shadows.

Nanaki jumped. He swiveled his head to face the old man.

"I didn't realize you were there."

"You haven't realized it yet," Bugenhagen continued, coming to hover next his grandchild. "But you are becoming more and more 'human' every day. I think the phrase 'love is blind' is accurate in this case."

The demi-human rose to his feet. "Perhaps," he responded enigmatically, shaking a few stray rocks from his clothes. His eyes shifted to his father, standing stoic, proud, and encased in stone.

"He would be proud of you," Bugenhagen said quietly.

"You think?"

The old sage nodded.

Nanaki sighed, his golden gaze on his grandfather as a slight smile to slipped onto his face. "I will honor him by defending Cosmo Canyon and learning to love as well."

"Sounds like a good enough reason to me." Bugenhagen beamed. He started floating towards the exit, Nanaki turning to follow him. "How long did you say you had again?"

"Approximately three days."

The elderly human chuckled. "I suppose I can fit a lesson in then. No need to waste your trip here."

Nanaki groaned, his exuberance at having a vacation wilting. "Grandfather," the demi-human protested. "Shouldn't I be enjoying myself or something rather than learning?"

Bugenhagen laughed as they made their way back through the Gi Nattak caverns. "Nonsense. I have some good War Tactics textbooks that would be quite useful and educative, I think."

Nanaki grumbled, "That is not fair."

"Ho ho ho." The old sage smirked as he reached out and laid a hand on his grandson's head. "Who said life was?"

---

Yuffie exited the airship rather quickly, almost too quickly. It wasn't her fault that Cloud was missing his materia. Why would she want his old, crummy Bolt anyways? It wasn't even Level 3, yet!

The ninja stuck her tongue out at a crewmember and walked off in the direction of Wutai. After all, she had a reason to fight to find, right?

The ninja still didn't quite understand why she had joined the group in the first place, but then, they did have the best materia selection around. The strongest, fastest, most powerful materia in all Gaia had been collected and distributed among their group. And hadn't Cloud promised she could have it all, well… some of it, at the very end?

It would be a great help for Wutai, that's for sure.

Yuffie swiftly made her way into town, heading for the pagoda where she knew her father would be. She had easy access ever since she beat the hell out of everyone the first time they all came to Wutai, and that was also when that nasty Don Corneo put his dirty, fat hands on her, too.

She shuddered involuntarily at the thought.

Disgusting, fat bastard had nearly drooled all over her, and the last thing she had wanted was to do anything with him.

Then, the memory hit her like a ton of bricks.

A pair of soft, warm lips pressed against hers in the cargo bay of the airship. Nanaki, the demi-human had kissed her… and then ran away as if scared. Sure, she was terrifying, but it was just a kiss, and a nice one at that, too. She put her hand to her lips, recalling it again, and giggled girlishly. The ninja could feel her cheeks burning in embarrassment as she remembered the incident.

"Yuffie!" She heard her father yell her name and jumped about five feet in the air, lost to her daydreaming.

A hard and heavy weight struck her in the side, and she crumpled to the ground with an oof! Acting instinctively, the girl kicked up and out, connecting with something solid. The weight shifted off of her, and she scrambled away to get a better grasp on the situation, already reaching for her shuriken. Her eyes scanned the area looking for her attacker.

There was no one around.

She heard the crunching of gravel behind her and knew without a doubt, the enemy's position. She got to her feet slowly, pretending she didn't know she was being stalked. The girl put her hands on her hips as she heard the crunch of stone again and a whoosh of air. Grinning evilly, she ducked, and her assailant went sailing over her. Yuffie whipped out her shuriken and slashed at the blur, managing to cut into fabric.

The attacker hit the ground but sprang to his feet almost instantly. Yuffie recognized him just as quickly, and an even slyer smile broke out on her face. They always greeted each other like this.

Suddenly, a great cloud of grey smoke arose around him, and he disappeared from her eyes.

Laughter echoed through the air.

The ninja swung her head around trying to locate him, finally spotting Godo standing near the huge, golden gong.

"Old man!" she called cheerfully as she bounded up to meet him, their fight ending in a stalemate. "You're getting slower."

His forehead pinched. "Why are you here, daydreaming off into space and not out getting their materia?" Godo demanded.

There was a smile on his face, however. He was glad to see his daughter but couldn't resist scolding her.

"Spiky wants us to 'find a reason'," the little ninja answered, imitating Cloud.

Father and daughter broke into laughter. There was something about her blond leader that was always amusing. Godo even managed to imitate Cloud's look of confusion perfectly.

When the laughter died, his stern and piercing gaze turned to his daughter. "Why were you so distracted, my child?" her father asked, changing the subject.

Yuffie's cheeks instantly reddened as the memory hit her again, but there was no way she was going to explain to her father now. "I… I was remembering how much materia my friends have."

Godo clapped her on the back. "That's my girl." He started to lead her to the temple, hearing her stomach growl almost immediately. "Let's get something to eat, and you can tell me what your 'leader' has ordered."

The little ninja nodded. "Can we have boiled octopus?"

Her father couldn't help but laugh at her. "I don't know how you eat that slimy and disgusting stuff."

"It's good," she insisted, but Yuffie knew there was no convincing her father. It seemed she was the only one who enjoyed the delicacy, especially slathered with her favorite sauce.

They entered the temple and went straight to the dining room where the servants rushed to get them some food.

"Bring us some rice and fish, and of course, Yuffie wants boiled octopus," Godo ordered, sitting down comfortably at the low table with thick pillows for seats.

Yuffie sighed in contentment. "Ah," the dark-haired girl began, smiling broadly. "I haven't had it in so long," she sang, clearly pleased for her brief visit back home. Although she loved being able to travel around the world, there were times she missed being in Wutai.

Godo shook his head in disbelief. Boiled octopus was not exactly his idea of a treat.

"What is it that Cloud said that made you come home empty-handed?" he asked, settling down comfortably against the floor.

Yuffie shrugged. "He started spouting some psychological nonsense about us finding our true selves and a purpose for fighting. We have to return in three days, or he will fight Sephiroth without us. I figured I'd just hang out here until I have to go back."

Her father considered her words, thought lines wrinkling his brow. "Well, do you?"

Yuffie looked up, startled as she fiddled with the cloth napkin on the table in front of her. "What?"

He regarded her with an intent expression, patiently repeating himself. After all, Yuffie was still young.

"Do you have a reason?"

"I--I suppose so," the girl answered thoughtfully. Then again, now that he mentioned it… "Or maybe not." She frowned, slouching down in her seat.

Godo gazed at her, an unreadable expression on his face. "You know, you are my daughter, Yuffie. I am proud of you, and I do I love you."

"I'm not going to run!" she declared, looking up sharply as her brown eyes flashed with anger.

Her father chuckled, encouraged by the determination he saw. "I didn't say that you would," he pointed out, ignoring the servants as they set the table. "I merely meant to say that I understand. You shouldn't fight for me or even Wutai but for yourself. Otherwise, your strength will be diminished." He picked up his chopsticks, the smell of the food wafting his direction. "What was the first lesson you were taught?"

Yuffie sighed, slumping even further as she recited a phrase that she had been forced to rehearse over and over again when she was younger, "Fight with your heart."

Her father nodded. "Exactly."

She pouted. "I still don't see how that has anything to do with it." Her gaze shifted to the food, and her stomach grumbled hungrily and loudly, much to the amusement of her father.

Godo didn't respond, merely watching her actions with a thoughtful gaze. He served himself the white rice and boiled meats, the servants having disappeared at a wave of his hand. Yuffie took it upon herself to pile her plate with the boiled octopus, laying it atop a bed of rice and then covering it all with a hefty portion of her favorite orange sauce. Godo tried not to look at the concoction, lest he find himself losing his own hunger.

The young ninja disappeared into her mind as she ate, enjoying the silence that was given to her. At first, she had only been traveling with Cloud and his friends for their materia, but then, she had become very good friends with Nanaki. After all, they were the youngest of the entire group and he was one of the few people willing to put up with her.

Actually, she didn't think "person'" was really the right word to describe him, and frankly, her vocabulary didn't quite cover it. Still, it wasn't that she minded his new form per se, not in the slightest. In fact, if she considered it, he was now quite attractive. She even found the tail to be… _cute_.

Again, Yuffie couldn't help the blush that broke across her cheeks. Why was it that every time she thought about the fire-wolf turned demi-human she couldn't control her embarrassment? He was a great friend, but when had she started thinking of him as something more?

Besides, getting materia for Wutai wasn't enough of a reason to fight either. In fact, it was rather selfish of her to think in only those terms, to go into a deadly battle with only materia on the brain. Her father was right; it would be the death of her. So what else could she fight for? What else did she have to protect? What reason could she have?

Her brain nearly hurt with all these repetitive questions, and she scowled before she even realized what she was doing. Her hand paused halfway to her mouth, an octopus bite dangling from her chopsticks.

"Yuffie?" Her father's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Hmm?"

He looked at her, eyes very soft. They shared the same eye color, Godo and Yuffie. It was in her facial features, the turn of her nose, the shape of her face, where Godo truly saw her mother. Oftentimes, just looking at her, reminded the Wutaiian Lord of his dear Mihari. It was both a blessing and a curse.

"I think that you should go see your mother."

Her brow crinkled, heart leaping in her chest, as it did every time her mother was mentioned. "Mom?" Yuffie repeated quizzically, putting down her chopsticks. "Why?"

Godo stood up from the table, food forgotten. "I think it will help. It is far time that you learned what truly happened in the war."

Yuffie blinked. "What… truly happened?"

Her father inclined his head. "Yes."

She glanced at him in confusion as she laid down her own utensils and stood. She hadn't even been aware that what she had been told wasn't the truth, and as she followed after Godo, heading towards where the burial grounds for her family were located, Yuffie couldn't help but wonder what everyone had been hiding from her. Discussing her mother had always been a sketchy topic around the Kisaragi household since the loss of Mihari had been a heavy blow to the entire country. She had been well loved by the people, admired for her strength.

Godo didn't speak as they wove their way through the many markers until they reached the Kisaragi family crypt. He unlocked the entrance, and the two stepped into the cool confines of the memorial room, far door leading into the deeper recesses of the crypt. The air was thick with the smell of aged incense and the mustiness always associated with graves.

Wordlessly, they knelt before the altar in tandem. Yuffie reached forward as her father bent his head, hands clasped in front of him, and lit a candle for her mother. She watched as the smoke spiraled up to the ceiling before closing her eyes, allowing a silent prayer to fall from her lips.

When she was younger, she had believed wholeheartedly that her mother still remained on Gaia. She had hung around the crypt, waiting for Mihari's spirit to appear, oftentimes just speaking to thin air. She had told her mother of her day and all that she had learned. She had detailed her training, and sometimes, she even cried. Although she couldn't remember too many clear details of her mother, she still regretted the lost chances.

There were many things that her mother would never get to see her do.

As she grew older, she gradually visited less and less until she wasn't visiting at all. It might have had something to do with the temple priests informing her that her mother was not a spirit and wasn't going to speak to her. They told her that her mother was in Dao-Chao's care, that it was time for her to move on. Mihari would have wanted it.

Yuffie blinked in the dimness, memories creeping up on her surprisingly fast. There was a lot she had forgotten, and instantly, she felt guilty for not having been to see her mother in so long.

Silence filled the crypt, the sweet, smoky incense curling around them in grey tendrils, but finally, Godo spoke, disturbing the girl from her reverie.

"Mihari loved you from the moment you were born," he began quietly, a note of pride and melancholy in his tone. "She considered you a heavenly spirit sent by Leviathan-sama. She would be proud of you, if she could see you now."

Yuffie sniffed softly, fighting back unnecessary tears that threatened to crop up. "I don't remember her very much, almost not at all," she admitted.

Godo sighed, sitting back on his heels as he laid his hands in his lap. "She was one of the greatest ninjas this country had seen in a long time, and when war arrived, she was one of the first to go into battle. I couldn't convince her not to fight." Godo smiled as he looked over at his daughter. "You remind me of her in that aspect. Never one to stand down from a fight, even if you know you should."

Yuffie returned his smile, encouraged by his words. She had known that much about her mother. Everyone knew that Mihari had died in the war against ShinRa, but the details of her death had been unclear, especially to Yuffie herself.

Her father's gaze remained locked on the altar, staring at the words etched into the headstone. "We almost thought that Wutai was going to win the war. However, the enemy's general, he was… beyond strong. Nothing could bring him down." He paused, hands curling into fists. "I should have done something. I planned to do something, but Mihari took it upon herself to destroy him. She didn't want to see anymore of her people throwing their lives away."

Godo hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath as he tried to calm down. Still, all these years later, her loss pained him. He loved his daughter dearly, but there were times that the loneliness was overwhelming. Never once did he think of loving another either. In his heart, there was only room for Mihari and his daughter.

Yuffie shifted closer to her father and took his hand in her own, offering him comfort. Her fingers curled around his as she, too, stared at the headstone, her mother's name etching itself firmly into her mind.

Her father sucked in a shuddering breath but still managed to maintain that calm and control he had adapted as Lord of Wutai. "We are not certain how exactly she died, but it is almost certain she was defeated by their general. A man with long, silver hair dressed in black leather." He paused, turning his head slightly. "You know him as Sephiroth."

Yuffie stiffened almost immediately at the name. Her mother, the woman who never got to watch her grow up, would never see her become a lady… if that day ever came, would never get to see her get married, had been stolen from her by Sephiroth!

Anger burned, bright and quick inside of her, igniting a hatred that she didn't even know she could bear.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously, responding in a low and even tone. "I will kill him."

Surprised by the murderous sound to his daughter's voice, Godo looked over at her. "Yuffie, I didn't mean that you should immediately seek revenge--"

She shook her head violently, rising to her feet as her hands clenched at her sides. "He is killing my planet and trying to destroy my home. He killed my _mother_. Sephiroth deserves nothing less than death."

Godo stood up, grabbing his daughter by her shoulders and looking her deep in the eyes. "Mihari would not have wanted you to fight only for revenge. She would have wanted you to live happily, to love. She died with no regrets." He shook his head. "It was a war, Yuffie. An actual war… not this pittance of battles you have been in. Mihari was on one side and Sephiroth the other. She killed just as many of the ShinRa as he did our own people. Besides, we don't even know for certain it was him. It could have been a random soldier, for all I know; that wasn't the point I was trying to make."

"It doesn't matter," Yuffie interrupted before abruptly looking away, the fire dying behind her eyes. "If Sephiroth isn't destroyed, I won't even have the chance to live. Meteor's gonna fall in six days. I won't even see my seventeenth birthday."

"I'm not saying that you shouldn't fight," insisted Godo. "I am merely saying that you should have something stronger than vengeance, something more like the future you won't have if he wins. Your mother always fought with her heart, wanting to protect those she loved."

She blinked away more tears, which threatened to overcome her. It was so rare that she saw this side to her father, and the pain in his voice was enough to make her reconsider her words.

"Then, I will fight," she declared. "For mother and for the future she wanted me to have," Yuffie vowed. Her eyes gleamed as she looked at her father. "Only, I have to be stronger, even more than I am now."

Godo nodded. "I think I know just the way. Come." He patted her on the shoulder and turned away from the altar heading out of the crypt.

Casting a thankful glance towards where her mother was enshrined, Yuffie hurried to follow after her father. She threw a silent prayer over her shoulder, thanking Mihari for everything and nothing. She even promised to return again, to not forget her old habits, even if they had only been filled with a childish hope for something that couldn't be.

She would defeat Sephiroth. In her heart, she vowed to protect Wutai and her dreams for the future, even if they were yet undefined. She was still young; she still had a chance.

Her eyes blazing with determination, Yuffie hurried after her father.


	35. Together at Last

**Chapter Thirty-Five: Together at Last**

Reno breathed in deep of the crisp evening air, even as he brought the cigarette to his mouth again and took a puff. Ah, nothing like nicotine and a fresh breeze. He leaned against the railing with a contented sigh, gazing out over the rapidly passing scenery. He and Reeve had told the pilot to take them to Kalm, but their request got in next to last; it would be a few hours before they got there. No matter, Reno knew pleasant ways to spend the time.

He felt hands slide around his waist from behind just then, and a warm body pressed against him. A head settled on his back, somewhere near the base of his neck, and a deep voice sighed contentedly. It went without saying that he knew who it was.

The Turk took another deep drag of his cigarette and flicked it out over the balcony railing. He watched the ember as it flared once before quickly extinguishing as he leaned back comfortably into the embrace.

"You should quit, you know," Reeve suggested, placing a kiss on the side of the younger man's neck. His lips were warm and slightly moist, causing a deep shiver to race up Reno's spine, not that he minded.

"Then what would I do with all my free time?"

The ex-executive smirked. "I can think of a few things," he murmured into the Turk's ear, warm breath ghosting over the other man's flesh.

Reno couldn't help the images that popped up in his mind and moaned happily. He could almost feel Reeve's smile against his skin.

There was nothing more satisfying in the world than finally being with the one you love, despite all circumstances. His pessimism had nearly taken over in the time that they had been apart, and truthfully, if he hadn't decided to abandon ShinRa in the end, they might still be on opposite sides. Not that he could have ever brought himself to hurt his lover. Still, it was difficult, and he vowed to never be forced to make such a decision again.

Reno smirked and turned around in his lover's grasp, wrapping his own long limbs around Reeve's neck. He grinned lazily and flicked out his tongue, tasting Reeve's bottom lip before nipping lightly. The ex-executive tightened his hold on and pulled him closer, bringing their groins flush.

"Is that for me, yo?" Reno teased, grinding his hips into the older man's erection.

A flash of heat spread through his body, blood rapidly pooling in his groin and leaving rational thought to the wind. For now, he didn't even want to think about anything, especially not crazed, once-dead Generals or giant glowing meteors in the sky. He just wanted to concentrate on what he had in front of him.

Reeve groaned noticeably and started to back slowly towards the room, dragging the redhead with him. "Come inside and find out."

Reno grinned and leaned in for another kiss, enveloping Reeve's lips hotly and diving straight into his hot, wet mouth. He swirled his tongue around, enveloping it in the flavor of the ex-executive, while Reeve struggled to regain control. He gave up and gave in, relinquishing it to Reno.

They continued to kiss as they traveled backwards, making their way to the bed before crashing down on top of it in a pile of limbs. Reno ended up on top, falling down hungrily atop Reeve. He tasted blood and realized he had inadvertently bitten his lover's lips. The redhead pulled back a little and propped himself up on his arms. He looked down at his lover, even as he could feel arms creeping up around his back to grab his ass tightly.

"Oops," he whispered softly, not feeling the least bit repentant as he rubbed a thumb gently over the bitten lip.

Reeve's lips parted, and he took the digit into his mouth, sucking on it hungrily. Reno moaned at his lover's touch as hot spikes of arousal began to course through his body. Reeve was such a sensualist.

Amber eyes met aquamarine, and he knew he couldn't hold it any longer. Reno leaned down and enveloped Reeve in a scorching kiss as his hands started roaming and removing offensive clothing.

The older man moaned and moved beneath him, his hands no less busy. He ran fingers up and down the Turk's sides and across his back, feeling the corded muscle ripple through the fabric. It had always amazed him how thin but well-muscled his younger lover was. It seemed as if he had been captivated by pale skin from day one.

Reno wandered away from Reeve's mouth to trail his lips and tongue over the other man's jaw line and down into the soft flesh of his neck. He nipped and sucked, his arousal quickly rising at the sounds his older lover was making beneath him. The taste of Reeve's skin on his tongue was both nostalgic and necessary, a flavor he had craved.

"It feels like forever since I was last able to touch you," Reeve murmured as he managed to undo the last of the redhead's buttons and pull his shirt off. He tossed it away to the floor, not caring when it landed in a rumpled heap. He didn't think that Reno minded either, not with his usual state of dress.

"Too long," Reno gasped softly, pushing open his lover's shirt to run his hands over the man's chest. His fingers ghosted over tanned skin and lightly pinched an already peaking nipple.

Reeve bucked slightly and began to grind his hips up into the younger man's. There was a hot fire building up in him, and he knew of only one red-haired man capable of handling it.

"What's this?" the Turk questioned with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. "Getting impatient?"

"Urgh," Reeve growled, desire flashing like a heated fire in amber eyes. "No teasing. Just take your damn clothes off."

The redhead couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips as he carefully and slowly removed his pants and threw them off the bed. He bent down to remove Reeve's as well, more than ready to feel flesh on flesh.

"Still haven't grown out of going commando, I see," Reeve commented, shaking his head as he pulled his lover down for another kiss.

The Turk shrugged. "Haven't had time to do laundry." He tugged on the belt and buttons of Reeve's black slacks and managed to get them open. Grabbing both boxers and pants, Reno slid them down his lover's body until he had him completely undressed.

For a moment, he just sat back on his heels and drank in the sight of Reeve. It seemed like forever since he had last been able to touch, caress, and taste him. He was almost ashamed to say this… but running for his life had done the somewhat sedentary Reeve good. His legs were more firm and well-muscled, and Reno couldn't help but run a hand up them as he climbed back up his lover's body. Reeve had always been in shape, but this was just as good.

Reeve sat up and reached out, grabbing Reno's arm. He pulled the younger man to him, enveloping him in another kiss. The position was perfect as their erections brushed together causing both men groan. Heat pooled in the older man's belly, a familiar creeping desire that quickly overwhelmed his senses.

Reeve ground his hips into his lover's, enjoying the wonderful sensations it sent throughout his body, and he allowed himself to fall backwards onto the bed, bringing Reno down on top of him. The former Turk smiled as he rubbed along Reeve and kissed him deeply.

"I worried for you everyday," Reeve admitted softly, looking into his blue-green eyes. He brushed his fingers through the bright red bangs that were falling in his lover's face now that the sunglasses were gone.

Reno scoffed. "Who was the one running around the world chasing bad guys in an airship, yo?"

Reeve laughed, and the kissing and fondling resumed. The Turk mouthed his way down the other man's neck to his collarbone as his hands roamed all over Reeve's body. His teeth nibbled at the flesh that he found there, drawing up an angry, red mark that he knew would last for days, smacking his lips in smug satisfaction. The ex-executive arched up beneath him, trying to satisfy his aching hardness by rubbing his cock against the planes of Reno's body.

Reno obliged him by continuing downwards, leaving little licks along the way. He had this sudden urge to taste the older man. He licked and nipped at Reeve's skin as he slowly crept towards the prize. Almost immediately, one of the ex-executive's hands made its way to Reno's head and buried itself in his hair, and Reeve ran his fingers through the red locks, not surprised to find that some were stiff from whatever hair concoction the man put in his hair.

Suddenly, he felt a warm wetness wrap around his fully erect cock, and his mind couldn't think anymore as Reeve succumbed to Reno's extremely talented mouth. The man nearly swallowed him completely, tongue scraping along the underside and tracing the pulsating vein, and Reeve shuddered, his fingers unconsciously clenching on Reno's hair quite painfully.

The former Turk ignored it, however, instead swirling his tongue over the tip of Reeve's arousal, lapping up the small drop of precum that had already collected before enveloping the entire hardness in his mouth. He could hear his lover moan beneath him, so he ran his tongue across the underside of Reeve's erection as he sucked hard. The ex-executive arched up off the bed, one hand fisting the sheets, the other trying not to pull out Reno's hair.

The Turk smirked around the man's cock and reached down between his legs with one hand, finding that small ring of muscle. He traced circles around the opening, teasing Reeve with a penetration that wasn't going to come quite yet. He felt it twitch beneath his touch, a subtle invitation for him to delve deeper, and inwardly, Reno groaned with anticipation. It felt like it had been far too long.

Reeve growled in his chest and let go of the bed sheets. As his hips jerked restlessly beneath Reno's ministrations, he reached over with one hand and blindly groped around in the bedside drawer. Pushing aside junk he hadn't even realized he had collected, his hand finally closed over the small bottle, and he grasped it triumphantly. He pulled it out and slammed the drawer shut. When the scarlet-haired man looked up expectantly, Reeve shoved the bottle down at him.

"What's this? Vanilla?" asked Reno, smiling as he took the small bottle. He noted the half-full state of the liquid. "Naughty Reeve, have you been busy while I was gone?"

The other man shook his head, a strangely sober look on his face. "I'm not even going to tell you where I got it from."

Reno laughed at his lover's sneakiness; Reeve would have made an excellent Turk. However, there were more important matters at hand, and he uncapped the bottle, pouring some of the oil out on his fingers. The cool liquid covered his digits and filled the room with its pleasant scent.

The Turk leaned forward and nipped at Reeve's mouth, trapping the man's lower lip between his teeth before soothing the bite with a firm lick of his tongue. Reeve moaned as Reno slid his attention elsewhere, trailing down the man's jaw line until he reached the soft, smooth skin of his neck.

His lips ghosted over the tanned skin before he sank his teeth into the soft flesh, smug with the reddish bruise that the motion left behind. A gasp escaped Reeve's mouth but not one of pain. His back arched in pleasure as Reno's tongue soothed over the indentation, and one finger very slowly began to press into his anus, sliding inside thanks to the vanilla-scented oil.

Gods! It had been long, and the older man was so tight!

Reeve moaned as his hands scrambled to find something to touch, something to hold. He settled on running fingers over his lover's back and chest. He tweaked slowly peaking nipples and traced nonsensical designs over smooth, rippled muscle.

The Turk slowly stretched his lover with one finger as he proceeded to leave several marks on the man's neck. He moved down until he reached the collarbone and left another mark there as well. Reno wanted everyone to know who the moaning man in his arms belonged to.

The dark-haired man thrust himself downwards on his lover's finger, letting him know that he was more than ready for more. Reno obliged and added another and then a third, using scissoring motions to stretch him. After so long, he wanted to make sure that he wouldn't hurt his lover.

"I need you, Reno. Don't make me wait any longer," Reeve growled, his hips moving to meet every thrust of those fingers. Reno kept curling his digits slightly, enough to rub over his prostate, and he didn't know how much longer he could wait. His muscles shook, and he just wanted to feel that Reno was there with him like they hadn't been able to be earlier.

Reno couldn't say no to such a request, not when his blood literally sang with his desire, and his body trembled from holding back. He sat back on his heels and reached for the bottle again. Uncapping it and pouring out the smooth liquid onto his fingers, he smoothed the substance over his cock, and the organ twitched in his hand.

Throwing the bottle aside, Reno wrapped an oil-slicked hand around the other man's erection as he leaned forward and enveloped those rosy lips in a passionate kiss. He slowly stroked his lover's arousal and aimed for his well-prepared entrance, and the moment Reeve felt the head of the redhead's hardness pressing in the first few inches of his entrance he reached down and pulled Reno's hips towards him, effectively filling himself completely.

In unison, the two moaned, Reno biting his lip with the erotic sensations coursing throughout his body. Reeve felt so wet and tight, the Turk could tell it had been a long time. The ex-executive panted, the incredible sense of simply being filled overwhelming him. He could feel every throb and pulse of Reno's cock inside of him, and it was a heady awareness.

"A bit… impatient…?" Reno gasped out, refusing to move until he was certain the older man was read for him to.

The ex-executive wrapped his legs around his lover and thrust upwards impatiently, preferring to answer with his actions. His body clamped around his lover's arousal, dragging a breathless moan from Reno's mouth before he finally obliged. He began a leisurely and steady pace, pulling out nearly all the way before plunging back in, filling Reeve to the hilt and pressing deeply inside of him.

"Nnngh." Reeve groaned, unable to form anything coherent as his fingers tightened around the other man's arms.

Reno carefully shifted his weight, changing the angle of his movements so that he could caress his lover from the inside and find that one erotic spot within him. He balanced his weight on one hand as he stroked Reeve with the other, bending down to kiss Reeve's lips.

The ex-executive moaned, meeting him thrust for thrust. He ran his hands down the smooth planes of his lover's chest, brushing over a pink nipple, as if trying to memorize everything he could about Reno.

Breathing heavily with arousal, sweat a slight sheen on his tanned skin, the Turk picked up the pace slightly. He drove his erection harder and harder against Reeve's pleasure spot, encouraging lustful moans and cries of ecstasy. He timed his stroking of his lover's arousal to his movements.

"Damn… you feel so good," Reno gasped. He closed his eyes as he lost himself to the feeling of being buried inside the one he loved. "Hot… and tight."

"Gods," Reeve moaned as his hand clawed into Reno's back, his cries increasing with each thrust. "When you talk like that--"

Reno panted, running a thumb over the head of the other man's arousal. "S'true," he groaned. "Clampin' around me, taking every inch of my cock." He dipped his head, scraping his teeth along Reeve's flesh and leaving behind a long red line. "I want you so bad."

Reeve shuddered as he spread his legs wider. He pushed downwards with the heels of his feet, wanting Reno deeper inside him, heat pooling in his belly. The former Turk shifted, causing him to move against the man beneath him at yet another angle, rubbing the place inside him with more force.

Reno could feel Reeve tightening around his cock, and a purr reverberated in his chest as he buried his face in the other man's neck and breathing in the scent of his lover. He pumped his partner in tune to his increased thrusts, finding that they were both approaching the brink. Sweat was already slick on his skin, plastering his hair to his forehead, but he barely paid that any mind.

They began to lose themselves in the sensations of being joined, of being surrounded by the feel of their skin and the scent of their sex on the air. Reno never felt more complete than when he was joined with Reeve and knew that there was none else on the planet that he could love so completely.

His world completely narrowed; there was nothing but the two of them and the feeling building up within him, threatening to overspill. The Turk tried to hold back; he wanted Reeve to cum first. He rained kisses on his lover's neck, nibbling on his erogenous zone as he pumped him harder.

"Oh, god, Reno. Baby… I love you," Reeve cried out as he suddenly exploded in a blaze of white-hot fury, releasing his seed into the hand of his lover. His hips jerked, losing their steady rhythm, and his body began to milk Reno for all he was worth.

Reno allowed himself to let go, giving into Reeve pulsating around him and the hot fire racing through his veins. He only needed three more thrusts before he moaned unintelligibly and came.

"Love you…" he managed to gasp out before collapsing onto Reeve's chest, his lover's arms automatically wrapping around him. His breath came in sharp pants, and his limbs were bone-tired, but he felt sated and at ease. He was finally where he belonged.

Shaking with the aftereffects of such a forceful orgasm, Reno pulled out of Reeve slowly and laid down next to his partner, allowing the other man to cuddle next to his side. Long legs entangled with his own as Reeve wrapped an arm around his chest and settled his dark head on the Turk's shoulder.

"Gods, I have missed this!" Reeve exclaimed in a breathy voice. He snuggled closer to his lover. "And you too, of course," he added, almost as an afterthought.

Reno rolled his eyes and reached for the cigarettes on the bedside table. It was time for his post-coital nicotine fix.

"I'm never working for ShinRa again," Reno commented drolly as he lit up a cigarette and smoked it happily, breathing in the wonderful nicotine.

Reeve sighed before responding. "I would have to agree with that."

The Turk didn't say anything for a minute, staring off into the distance. He appeared to be considering something. Then, he paused with his cigarette halfway to his mouth, as if he had suddenly remembered something important.

"Why did you ever agree to spy on Cloud and them in the first place? I thought you agreed with what they were doing?" Reno asked. He took another drag of his cigarette, only to find he really didn't want it anymore. He put it out and turned, drawing Reeve into his arms.

The ex-executive frowned slightly. "Rufus is a smooth talker. He had me convinced that ShinRa was doing the right thing."

Inwardly, Reno scoffed. Reeve had always been a bad liar, and now was no exception. The man practically radiated guilt-vibes. It was probably a good thing he had never been a Turk.

"For some reason, I'm finding that hard to believe as intelligent as you are, yo," Reno muttered.

Reeve raised an eyebrow as he regarded his lover thoughtfully.

The younger male sighed as he changed positions, moving from beside Reeve to astride him. He sat on the older man's hips and crossed his arms as he glared down at him.

"I am a Turk, Reeve."

"I know." The older male frowned, unsure as to Reno was trying to say. He shifted uncomfortably underneath him, wondering where exactly the conversation was going.

"I don't need protection," Reno clarified.

Reeve furrowed his brow. "I know that, but it doesn't mean--"

"It means," Reno interrupted, "that you should have told me what Heidegger was planning." He locked gazes with Reeve, giving the older man his most ruthless and commanding stare.

Amber eyes blinked. "You… knew?" His voice was hesitant and slightly chagrined.

"Did you think I wouldn't find out?" Reno questioned, waving a hand to express his point. "The fat bastard could've tried all he wanted, but Tseng and Rude would have killed him before he got within ten feet, not to mention the damage I would have dealt myself." He lowered his hand and traced his fingers over the Reeve's smooth chest, amused when his body seemed to shiver automatically.

Reeve sighed and laid back against the pillow, hands moving to Reno's hips. "I'm sorry. I can't help but feel this way."

His younger lover smiled. "I worried about you, too." He leaned down, and they shared a kiss, slow and languid, unlike the hurried and almost desperate affection of before.

"Great." Reeve grinned. "Now that you're done fussing at me like a child, can we go see your friends?"

Reno shook his head. "I could never think of you as a child, yo," he replied seductively, completely ignoring the last part of the sentence. He reached down and tweaked a nipple.

Reeve gave him a playful shove, pushing the Turk off of him until he toppled over sideways. "C'mon. We've got to shower. You're all sticky."

"And whose fault is that I wonder?" Reno demanded with a quirked eyebrow.

Reeve gave him a look of all innocence, shrugged his shoulders, and scooted off the bed, heading for their adjoining bathroom. Reno contemplated another cigarette as he righted himself and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Reno!" Reeve's came voice from the bathroom. "I can't go out like this!" he exclaimed, aggravated.

"What are you talking about?" Reno hauled himself up from the bed as he ventured into the bathroom.

The dark-haired man was gazing at himself in the mirror, counting hickeys. His finger pressed over each one, lips forming a thin line of exasperation as the numbers rose. The edge of his thumb grazed over a set of teeth marks in his collar area.

"Seven, Reno, seven. What are people going to say?"

A lazy smirk took over the former Turk's expression. "That I've been marking my territory." He wrapped his arms around his lover from behind and kissed him smoothly on the neck, tongue sliding out to trace over a red mark. He was quite proud of himself.

Reeve sighed. "You're lucky I love you." He put his hands on the arms around his waist and heaved another contented sigh.

"You're right," the redhead said with another kiss to the neck. "I am lucky." He nibbled on Reeve's ear for a moment and then pulled away but not before swatting him on the butt. "I still say you have the perfect ass."

Amber eyes rolled. "Get in the shower," Reeve growled playfully as he turned to shoo his younger lover.

Reno danced out of his reach but padded over to the tub anyway, turning the faucet and allowing the water to stream from the showerhead.

As the water warmed up and steam filled the room, Reeve finally caught his prey, pulling Reno into his arms with startling accuracy. The Turk didn't seem to mind, reaching around to knead his hands over the tanned flesh of Reeve's ass. Their lips unerringly found each other.

"I love you, Reeve," Reno murmured, eyes gleaming with a rather large display of relief.

Reeve nodded, burying his nose into the Turk's neck and breathing in deep of the familiar scent that was Reno's alone. "I love you, too," he responded before nipping on the soft flesh of the other man's neck.

"Now, let's shower."

---

The two well-dressed men stepped off of the Highwind twenty minutes and another round of well-deserved sex later. They immediately headed into the small town of Kalm, and according to Reno, this was where the Turks should have headed if they had successfully escaped from Midgar.

Not knowing where else to turn, they first headed for the inn, hoping to find some information about their friends. After all, it was common knowledge that if one was seeking the Turks, it was always best to the turn to the bars first.

Their luck held when they walked in the door and immediately caught sight of two recognizable faces.

"Archer!" Reeve exclaimed once he caught the familiar man sitting at the bar.

As usual, his dark hair was pulled into a short ponytail at the nape of his tanned neck, which made it even easier to identify him.

In the mean time, Archer turned when he heard his name called. "Reeve!" he responded, immediately rising from his seat.

Beside him, there was a light giggle. "Reno!" Elena added in. She looked resplendent in her civilian clothes, far more feminine than in the rigid lines of their Turk uniform. Whether she was trying to blend in or was simply attempting to forget she had worked for ShinRa at some point was up for debate.

Reno and Reeve wove their way through the many tables and suspicious patrons. Archer immediately pulled his former superior into a big hug, in spite of Reeve's startled expression. Reno winced at the show of affection and stuck out a hand, clasping Elena's warmly. He hadn't been worried in the slightest about her; after all, she was a Turk.

Reeve was the first to speak once all the greetings had been made. "I am glad to see that you made it out, my friend," he commented, his tone warm.

"Rude will be glad to see you," Elena commented as she swiveled around in her seat, reaching for whatever alcoholic concoction she had been drinking. "That is if you can pry him from the arms of his new wife," she added around the straw to her mixed drink.

Aquamarine eyes widened in surprise. "Wife? Rude got married before I did?" Reno demanded, clearly shocked. "This's the first I heard of it! When did he get a girlfriend!"

Archer chuckled. "That's what I would like to know. He holds his secrets well if Reno didn't even know he was sweet on someone."

Reno nodded. "You're tellin' me, yo. That bastard… I'm gonna hit him when I see him, just for hiding it from me."

He was serious, but he really didn't mean Rude any harm. That was simply the way their relationship worked.

Reno rubbed a hand through his hair, momentarily dislodging his sunglasses. "Yeah, after Chelsea, he closed himself off completely. I didn't think he'd ever come out of it…" he trailed off, eyes darkening as he remembered the one woman he had ever seen Rude fall for.

Reeve blinked. "Who?"

But his lover merely waved him off. "Never mind, forget I said that, yo. I don't even think I'm supposed to know." His lips formed a thin line. "The only night I ever saw Rude that drunk. I don't even think he meant to tell me."

Beside him, Reeve shook his head, eager to change the subject. "Well, who did he marry?" he asked when no one seemed particularly forthcoming.

Elena snickered, the depressive atmosphere slowly fading. "You'll just have to wait and see," she chirped knowingly, slurping up the last of her drink as Archer laid out several Gil on the table.

The bartender nodded as he took the money, pleased to find a high tip.

Reno paused, leaning closer to his lover and surreptitiously linking their hands together. No one could really see it, but Reeve knew what he wanted.

Comfort.

"What about the boss?" Reno asked, voice taking on a more serious tone. There was an edge of concern there as well, and Reeve knew that after the Temple of the Ancients, all of the Turks had carried the same fear. They were like a family, despite the killing and espionage. The loss of one of their own was not taken lightly.

Archer slipped his wallet back into his pocket. His face was sober, but an almost amused expression twitched at the corner of his mouth.

"We'll take you to him," he cut in.

There was a general nod of agreement as the four turned from the bar and began to weave their way towards the door. The conversation that had died within the establishment, interested in their exchange, picked back up again as they left. Now, it had turned to speculation.

Outside, their own conversation continued unabated as Elena and Archer led them down the finely cobbled streets to the house they had been renting for the last few days. It seemed that the Turks had already been making tentative plans long before recent events about finally disobeying ShinRa.

"Now that we've finally been able to heal him, he's doing much better," Elena explained with a sigh. "He is still a little weak though from not getting out of the bed in so long."

Reeve frowned in confusion. With technology and magic, it was rare for anyone on Gaia to remain injured for very long. It had been weeks since the Temple of the Ancients.

"I don't understand," he said. "Why hasn't Tseng healed already?"

It was his lover who answered, however.

"Fuckin' Rufus!" Reno swore, fingers tightening where they were wrapped Reeve's. "He was pissed because the mission failed, and he blamed it all on Tseng, yo. He wouldn't allow the hospital to use any potions or magic on him."

"We think he was hoping that Tseng would die; then, he could appoint someone more amenable," Archer added quietly. "Everyone knows that he couldn't simply outright kill Tseng; otherwise, the other Turks would rebel against him. It's happened once before. The previous ShinRa made that mistake with Veld."

Reeve's eyes narrowed at this revelation. He and Tseng had a longstanding professional relationship, as well as a bit of friendship in there. Rufus was a bastard, and he was glad the dick was dead.

Elena continued, "We had to sneak in potions and low-level cures when the doctors weren't looking; otherwise, they would've reported us," she explained, an edge to her voice.

"Boss would've been pissed if he knew that we got in trouble because of him." Reno sighed.

Amethyst eyes sparkled. "Must be nice to have such a great relationship," Archer murmured.

Reeve slung an arm across the back of his shoulders, dragging his former subordinate in for an awkward half-hug. "Don't worry. You will be adopted into their clan, just as I have been."

"He already has," Elena said knowingly, and she smiled brightly as the change in topic brought about a release of the tension. "I took him shopping with me just the other day. He is officially my newest victim," the woman explained smugly as they finally arrived at the front door to their rented house.

The other males laughed at Archer, who immediately flushed red, and Elena dug into her pocket, producing the key to the front.

It was a nice house, large with plenty of rooms for the entire group. An open living room with big windows gave it a comfortable aura, and a large kitchen, where the faint smell of something burnt still lingered, made it feel as if it were the home of an actual family.

Kami-sama only knows who played which part.

A thought suddenly occurred to Reeve.

"What about Barret?" he questioned, blinking as he remembered what had happened in the tunnel. He had nearly forgotten that Barret had left with Rude and the others.

"He, Marlene, and the Widow Gainsborough have taken up residence somewhere else," Archer answered, a bit of amusement peeking through. "It seems he's taken an interest in Elmyra. We might hear more wedding bells on the horizon."

Elena grinned as she ushered them upstairs, their boots not even making a sound on the carpet. "We'll take you to see them later if you want."

Idly fingering the Fenrir materia in his pocket, Reeve nodded. "Thanks. I'd appreciate that."

Elena inclined her head as they approached a door on the second floor, the one they could only assume belonged to Tseng. She knocked softly. 

"Boss? You awake?" she called through the door.

There was a loud, aggravated sigh in answer. Elena took that as an affirmative, and she pushed open the door.

Tseng's voice, slightly irritated, immediately greeted them. "Elena, how many times do I have to tell you? You do not have to call me…" his words trailed off as he took in the arrival of Reeve and Reno.

She grinned pleasantly at him, unperturbed by his grumpy demeanor. "Look who I found wandering around, Boss," Elena stated cheerfully as she ushered the two inside.

Wutaiian lips twitched into a smile, a very uncharacteristic gesture. "Well, if it isn't Berry-head and his lover," he commented, in a teasing tone.

Archer blinked. Perhaps they shouldn't have given him so many painkillers.

"Glad to see you're alright, Boss," Reno drawled as he sat on the edge of the bed, and Reeve pulled up a chair, running his worried gaze over Tseng's very pale face.

"I'm going to go find, Rude," Elena announced, already heading out the door. "So you guys catch up. Come on, Archer." She grabbed him by the arm and proceeded to bodily drag him from the room.

Admittedly, the man did not seem to put up much of a fight.

He grinned and winked at Reeve. "We'll talk later," he assured the other man.

Reeve merely waved him off, redirecting his attention to Tseng. Dressed in a shirt that was too large for him with his arms covered in bandages and a few on his face, Tseng did not look too healed. But at least, he was alive, and that was what mattered the most.

Silver eyes blinked, concern suddenly kicking in. "Did Cloud force you off his airship?"

"No," Reeve inserted quickly with a shake of his head. "He gave us a few days to get ourselves together."

Reno nodded, rolling his eyes. "Yeah. Something about finding a reason and ourselves and blah blah blah," he commented. "Not that I need any other reason, yo." He eyed his lover openly.

"Of course, we came to see you and the others. I wanted to know if Archer managed to make it, and Reno was worried about his boss," Reeve put in. "I have to admit, I may have been just a tad bit jealous."

Beside him, Reno flushed, running an almost embarrassed hand through his hair.

Tseng shook his head. "Believe me… you have nothing to worry about. He would drive even me crazy." His lips twitched, as though he was amused by even the prospect.

Reeve laughed, and Reno pouted before suddenly changing the line of thought.

"So… Rude got married?"

Tseng inclined his head. "Hard to believe, is it not?" His hand rubbed his chin. "And when you going to make an honest man out of my second here, Reeve?"

The ex-executive burned with embarrassment, while Reno playfully punched his boss, managing to avoid every bandaged wound.

"Don't tease him like that," Reno admonished. "My snooky-bear is sensitive, yo."

Tseng snorted loudly. "Snooky-bear?" he repeated with bemusement. He was only able to keep a straight face for another few seconds before all three of them burst into laughter.

Yes, they really were like a family.


	36. Musings of a Pilot

Chapter Thirty-Six: Musings of a Pilot 

Cid Highwind woke up drowsily, noting with a grimace that his bed was empty and cold. He could still smell Vincent's lingering scent, however, and it was a comforting thought. The pilot opened his eyes slowly and looked around the room, trying to find his lover. The bathroom door was open and light off, no red clothes visible anywhere, and what's this? There was a note on the bedside stand next to his cigarettes.

Frowning in confusion, Cid pulled himself to a sitting position and wrapped the sheets around his naked lower half, noticing that there was a chill to the air. He must have kicked them off in the middle of the night. He reached for a cigarette, lighting it before picking up the note. His name was written on the front in a handwriting he didn't recognize, not that he had much experience with getting notes before.

He opened the small piece of paper and glanced at it quickly, recognizing almost at once that it was from Vincent. Well, at least this time the gunman told him before he had disappeared again. He read it through one more time, as if scrutinizing each word for some hidden meaning, and Cid sighed and refolded the note but did not put it away. Not just yet.

Ever since the two had gotten together, it always seemed to end up in this way. Vincent would always be the first to sneak away whether in early morning or soon after the pilot fell asleep. Either way, the Captain wasn't sure, but he didn't question the gunman. Their relationship was so complicated even without the "commitments." Far be it for him to say that he hadn't been with anyone since he started this… thing, whatever they wanted to term it.

That was part of the reason why Cid was so surprised when he had woken up one morning before the Rocket fiasco to find Vincent still in his bed. The man was a complete enigma, and damn if the pilot still hadn't found the cheat book.

He calmly smoked his cigarette as he remembered the order Cloud had issued. Of course, he had known about it before everyone else. It was his damn airship, after all. The damn blond couldn't resist questioning Cid about his relationship with Vincent either.

---

"_Yo, Cid! Can I talk to you a minute?" _

_Cloud jogged up to the smoking pilot as Cid headed to his room for the night. If he remembered correctly, a certain dark-haired gunman was supposed to be waiting for him. _

_The Captain shrugged and continued to puff on his cancer stick. Still, he slowed down enough so that the younger man could catch up. _

"_What is it?" _

_Cloud's eyes flickered around them, noticing a few of the others, namely Barret and members of the crew, staring at the both of them. "Somewhere else?" _

"_Shit! Does it really matter?" the pilot grumbled. _

_The other blond gave him a look, and Cid cursed again. He was feeling horny as hell; he didn't want to wait for Cloud. He pushed past his leader and led him towards the common room. This time of day it was usually deserted. _

_The two entered and sat at the table, Cid reclining in his chair. He absorbed the taste of the cigarette while he still could, remembering its flavor, as if it were a long lost friend. _

_Cloud watched him for a moment before shaking his head. "I have come to a decision," he began slowly. _

_Cid snorted but didn't say anything. Trust Cloud to take forever to get to the damn point! If he could even remember it to begin with. _

"_But I will need your consent because it involves the use of your airship for a few days," the swordsman continued, eyeing the Captain carefully. _

_Sky blue eyes narrowed as the pilot took another drag. "What do ya want with my airship, Spike? Just spit it out, leader boy, because I don't like beating around the bush!" _

"_Fine, fine." Cloud waved a dismissive hand. "I can't tell you everything because I want everyone to know at the same time. But in a few days, I'll need to borrow your airship, so that everyone can go where they want." _

_The pilot shrugged. "So long as the Highwind stays in one piece, do whatever the hell you want with her." He leaned forward and eyed Cloud carefully, giving him a dangerous look. "But if she comes to any harm, I will shove my spear up your ass!" _

_Cloud smirked then, crossing his arms over his chest. "I thought you were too busy shoving your spear elsewhere," he replied smugly, as if he had stumbled upon a deeply hidden secret. _

_The Captain's mouth dropped, but he quickly regained his composure, cigarette falling to the ground. Did his leader just say what he thought he had said? _

_He hurriedly stomped to put out the smoldering tobacco and glowered at Cloud, hoping that he could frighten the younger man into submission with the famous Highwind Glare. _

_It didn't work. _

"_Where I shove my spear's my business!" Cid declared, shoving a finger in the other man's face. _

_There was absolutely no way he was going to correct their illustrious leader on exactly whose spear was going where either. He couldn't help that the man had automatically assumed it was Vince on the bottom, not that the pilot hadn't had plans to change the circumstances soon. Nor did it really matter anyways. _

_Cloud looked at him, the same knowing smirk on his face. "I'm not stupid, Cid, and neither are you. Did you think that no one would notice a certain dark-haired man dressed in bright, red clothes – not exactly discreet, I might add – sneaking off to your room and away from it at all hours?" He tilted his head in conceited satisfaction. _

_The pilot growled, nostrils flaring. "You got somethin' to say about it?"_

_The leader shook his head. "I hadn't, but now that you have confirmed my suspicions I just might have to." _

_Cid's face paled only slightly. "Gonna tell me what I can and can't do?" _

"_I wouldn't dream of it."_

_The Captain snorted, sitting back against his seat, though he remained wary. "Then why the hell bring it up?"_

_Cloud instantly sobered. "Look. I don't personally care what the hell you do in your free time or who the hell, for that matter. But I do care what might happen if something goes sour. What are the rest of us going to do if you have a fight or something and leave us stranded in say, Icicle, with no transportation? How the hell we going to defeat Sephiroth if something like that happens?" _

_The Captain snorted. "I'm way fuckin' more professional than that. You don't hafta worry about me." _

_The younger man sighed. "Okay, then… I will just tell the truth. It's a dangerous game you're playing, Cid Highwind, and I'd hate to see you or anyone else around here hurt." _

_The older man frowned, not understanding what Cloud was trying to say. "What the !# are ya getting at?"_

_His leader exhaled noisily and glanced off to the side, as if reconsidering his words. Cid began to get impatient. His fingers drummed a nonsense rhythm against the table, and he could already feel the need for another cigarette tugging at him. _

_Finally, the boy said something. _

"_There are many things we don't know about Vincent Valentine, including why he was locked up in that ShinRa basement." _

_Cid didn't bother to interject that while Cloud knew nothing, the pilot certainly did. _

"_You should be careful," Cloud put in, "for all of our sakes." _

"_I still don't see why I have to be careful fer everyone else," the pilot insisted angrily. If he had to hear one more person tell him Vincent was a menace, a spy, or anything else negative he might just have to go reacquaint some people with the butt end of his spear. They didn't even try to understand. _

_Mako blue eyes narrowed as Cloud opened his mouth to speak, only to promptly clamp it shut when a voice from the doorway interrupted them. The two swiveled towards the door, which was now open, and a head popped inside. _

"_Cloud?" Barret regarded them with interest, a suspicious look on his face. _

_Cloud managed to look both amused and annoyed, while Cid was downright angry, eyebrow twitching in aggravation. _

"_What is it?" Cloud uncrossed his arms and tried to look a little less threatening._

_Barret's eyes flickered to Cid before returning to the self-proclaimed ex-SOLDIER. "Reeve, Yuffie, and Nanaki came back from that downed plane dey found. They say they'll need back-up if they go back in there, but they did bring back some pretty powerful stuff." He shrugged. "They want ya ta look at it." _

_Cloud sighed and cast Cid a knowing look, as if warning him. "I'm coming." With that, he rose from his seat and left the commons room, Cid now alone with his thoughts. _

---

It had been an interesting conversation. Cid had been under the impression that Cloud neither trusted nor liked Vincent, much less was concerned for him. Especially with what happened in Icicle.

Then again, it might not have been concern. Perhaps Cloud was more worried about Vincent's mental instability and demons, rather than actually caring for the man's health and well-being.

Ironically, after that particular conversation was when they had discovered Lucrecia's Cave. Reeve and the others had taken a break, and it had been up to them to search the other tunnel they had discovered. After that, Vincent had seemed to have a mental breakdown when they encountered his former love and all hell had broken loose. Cid's kiss in front of everyone had shocked them all, not that he had given them time to comment.

Matters were made worse when they had been forced to fight Hojo directly afterwards, and the damned scientist had used some type of machine on Vincent to turn him on them, leaving Cid to wonder about what it was Cloud had told them to do.

"_Find a reason, find yourself, and then come back." _

The pilot snorted derisively. Where would he go?

He had accomplished his dream. He had his airship back, and he and Vincent were somewhat on the right track… if he squinted. He really had no personal grudge against Sephiroth. Well, other than the fact the bastard had killed Aeris and wanted to destroy his world.

Cid paused.

Alright, maybe he could learn to hate Sephiroth, if he actually tried.

But still, what was his reason?

Kill the bad guy. Save the world. Those were all well and good goals, but what was left for Cid Highwind when the battle was through and victory was won? A blown up rocket and shattered dreams? A curious relationship with a guy who still pined for a dead woman? His own existence back in Rocket Town, tinkering away as he attempted to fix the broken Tiny Bronco and let his hopes shatter to the winds?

Cid glanced at the note in his hand again, analyzing the words to see if there was anything in-between the lines. But as with all things concerning Vincent Valentine, he could no more decipher any hidden meaning than he could understand when Vincent was being forthright with his words.

He sighed loudly and got up to shower and change. A tentative plan began to form, more out of resignation than any true decision. When all else failed, return home. He would check to see if he still had a house standing, and maybe he would get to go kick a certain Turk's ass. If he was lucky, Shera would make him a cup of tea, and perhaps he could get some of her womanly advice about Vincent. For such a nerd, she was actually pretty perceptive about relationships.

Vincent was an enigma, and the pilot was having far more trouble than he expected understanding him. What was there beneath all that stoic and solemnity?

Cid knew it all now: the past, the present, but the future was something that was up in the air. No matter how much he thought about it, twisted and turned it, the note still didn't say what exactly he and Vincent were to each other. Every time the pilot tried to bring it up, the other man would change the subject or distract him or something. Anything to keep from discussing that. Then again, Vince did have some of the more creative ways of distracting him.

Visions of a certain dark-haired man on his knees before him suddenly entered his mind and would not leave.

_Crimson eyes looked up at him seductively as a tongue traced the underside of his arousal. Vincent's throat enclosed about his reflexively, swallowing down his thick length, and he had climaxed all too quickly for his liking. _

Cid shuddered with remembrance at the sudden and vivid memory, a stabbing pool of desire suddenly settling in his belly and causing his quiescent member to rise to the occasion.

The pilot sighed again when he realized that he had two problems to deal with and not just one. He put out his cigarette, folded the note, and placed it in the bedside drawer. He then got up from the bed, heading for the bathroom. First, a shower, where he could get clean and take care of his problem, and then on to Rocket Town.

---

Cid dug into his pockets angrily, cursing under his breath as he searched for his key. He hardly ever had to use the damn thing, but no one was coming to the door, and it hadn't been unlocked. Where the hell was Shera?

The chill of the autumn wind hadn't ceased its unrelenting attack on him, and he shivered slightly.

Where was that damn… ah!

He pulled the small, silver key out of his pocket triumphantly and jammed it into the lock, successfully letting himself inside of his own house. In their small town, they had hardly ever felt a need to lock anything, so a part of him was mildly concerned.

The pilot pushed open the door and stepped into the dim entryway. All of the lights in his happy home were off. He shut the door behind him and grabbed for his newest acquisition, the Scimitar. He held it in his hands cautiously when he had the thought and sudden fear that something might have happened to Shera. Cid began to creep through the house, listening for noises or anything.

It just didn't add up.

Why wasn't she there? Why was the house dark and cold?

He crept through the living room and the den, took a peek upstairs, and finally ended up in his cool kitchen. Not only were all of the lights off, but every electrical system had been shut off, including the heat. The house was like a fucking icebox!

He pulled his jacket closer around him as he adjusted the thermostat in the kitchen. The daylight was peeking in through what few windows he had that weren't heavily shuttered, illuminating the room he rarely used but was Shera's haven.

And there, he saw it, sitting on the table. Another note.

Sighing heavily, Cid took himself off of high alert and sat at the table, picking up the folded piece of paper in his hands. His name was written on it, of course, addressed to Captain Cid Highwind. It had to be from Shera.

He reached blindly for another cigarette as he unfolded the note. A lighter flick later, he was reading it.

_Captain Highwind,_

_With the end of the world approaching, I no longer want to be alone. I'm not going to wait for you any longer, and from the looks of it, I no longer need to. I have found someone who truly appreciates my feelings. I have gone to spend the last of our days, if that is truly what it is going to be, with him._

_I might even marry him. I really can't be sure. However, I know that I love him… much the same that I loved you once, but that is a story for the past. I hope that you realize what you have before the moment is gone. _

_The tea is in the right-hand cupboard above the sink. I wouldn't be surprised if you don't know that. I left you a few meals in the fridge and freezer; all you have to do is microwave them. _

_If you want to look for me, I will be in Kalm with him. That is my decision, and nothing you can say or do will make me change my mind. I will take the heartache as it comes; after all, I am well acquainted with the feeling._

_Forever your engineer,_

_Shera_

Cid sighed yet again and delicately refolded the note, placing it in his jacket pocket beside the other. He sat quietly for another moment, in the relative dark of his kitchen in his empty house and stared off into space.

So Shera was gone to be with that damn Turk. It shouldn't have surprised the pilot. He had finally forgiven her for the events of years ago; yet, he still hadn't been able to return her affections. He knew it was going to come sooner or later. Even she knew it was an unavoidable outcome.

Strangely enough, he found he wasn't upset, not at all. He was glad for her and wanted her to be happy. Shera was a good friend to him, one of the few he had. He hoped that that Turk treated her right; otherwise, he would find himself at the other end of another Highwind ass whippin'.

Cid silently wished them congratulations.

The blond finished his cigarette and put it out, pushing himself up from the table, suddenly feeling restless. He roamed through the house and turned on some lights before ending back up in the kitchen. Shera had been kind enough to clean before she left, and the entire house was completely spotless, which was a good thing considering he was usually crap for cleaning.

He then wandered around upstairs. Of course, that was only to discover Shera had not simply left, she had completely moved out. All of her belongings had completely disappeared. She was serious about spending her life with that man.

He shook his head, closed the door, and headed back downstairs towards the kitchen. He was craving a hot beverage.

Rummaging around in his own cupboards because he knew where almost nothing was, he finally produced a tea kettle and got to work making his favorite beverage. He located the tea in the right cupboard, as Shera had said, and breathed in the aroma gratefully. He hated having to make do with coffee when he was stuck on the Highwind and vowed to outfit the airship with some tea making devices in the future.

"_Find a reason and then come back_."

That was what Cloud had said. It was all well and good, but what the hell was there for Cid Highwind?

Now, even Shera had left him. Just like Archer. At least, he gave Shera a good reason, but Archer… the man had wanted Cid to abandon his dreams just because they seemed too far and unrealized. He had tried to convince his lover of many years to come with him to Rocket Town, but Kyle had wanted something that Cid couldn't give him. To this day, the pilot wasn't sure what exactly that was.

The water boiled and screeched, and the blond set about making his tea. He sat at the table with the steaming mug and returned to his internal monologue. The house was far too quiet. Even the ticking of the clock in the kitchen was beginning to rankle on his nerves. He was used to Shera's quiet ramblings.

He wondered where Vincent had gone to, probably to see Lucrecia, if Cid knew him at all. Why the man had insisted on placing all of the guilt of the world on his shoulders, the pilot could never understand. Life was life, and that was all there was to it. The past was gone; it couldn't be changed, and that was how Cid lived. Yet, Vincent… he lived with a whole different concept, and the ex-Turk still wouldn't allow him to tell the truth of his feelings. That was so irritating.

The silence in the house rankled on him a bit more, making him feel quite alone. Grumbling unhappily, Cid jumped up from the table, intent on taking a walk. He never realized just how empty his life really was. Without his dreams or his drive, he really was left with nothing, wasn't he?

Standing outside, staring up at where the ShinRa No. 26 once stood and recalling his trip to the stars, he realized how empty it was now. With no dreams to strive for, with Shera having moved on, Archer long gone, what did he have left? Mayor of a small, dying town?

What great honor.

He could almost believe that he had Vincent; he had almost convinced himself that there was a chance of that. Yet, the ex-Turk refused to commit himself to anything. As often as he wanted to tell the man of his true feelings, he had been denied the chance. He loved the stubborn man. But perhaps it was just his fate to be left yet again.

He gazed again at the empty launch site. With his dreams realized, did that mean he could die a happy man?

Cid sighed. When had he become the mopey type?

Perhaps Vincent was rubbing off on him.

"She was a beautiful rocket," a tired voice echoed from beside him.

Cid, startled, lowered his gaze to find a rather old and decrepit man standing next to him, smiling widely. He blinked in astonishment.

"Hai. And she flew the same, for a short time," he replied honestly, remembering well the flight into space.

The elderly man nodded knowingly, something glinting behind his aged eyes. "The town is grateful and pleased… for everything, Cid Highwind."

The Captain sighed. "But what now?"

The old man snorted. "What else? Build another rocket!" he exclaimed with a sudden wave of his hands and staff, and Cid was forced to duck, lest he be branded upside the head. "You saw the stars, now visit a moon, find other worlds, and learn what it means to really soar! You're not going to let that one rather short and uneventful trip be the end of it are you? You're Cid Highwind!"

Sky blue eyes were wide with surprise. "Somehow, I think your belief in me is rather skewed," he answered dryly, but inside, he was considering the man's words. Visit a moon? Find other planets? Travel in space, as well as in the sky?

They were things he had never even considered.

The old man merely shrugged. "Believe as you will; however, I think that this will become useful in your upcoming struggle."

Cid heard the rustle of fabric and looked over at to see his companion holding a spear of a make he had never seen before. It seemed extremely powerful, even more so than his Scimitar, and had eight jointed slots for materia. He could only gape as words escaped him.

"She is the Venus Gospel, and she belongs in no one's hands but yours," the man commented as he handed the spear over.

Cid took it with almost shaking hands. He admired its excellent craftsmanship, marveled over the feel of its even weight in his hands, and felt the power resting in its blade. It was truly a beautiful weapon, and he could hardly believe that it was to be his until the man's voice disturbed his thoughts, hovering on the edge of his conscious.

"Realize what is important to you, Highwind, and you might find that it's right in front of you."

The Captain turned to thank him, surprise still evident on his face, only to blink in sudden shock. The man had completely disappeared.

He twisted his body, looking around and gazing over the town behind him. However, there was no one in sight. The old man had simply vanished. Yet, the spear was real in his hand, and Cid briefly wondered if he was losing his mind as he considered the phantasmal man's words.

"_Find what is important. Learn what it really means to soar."_ His words were not that much unlike Cloud's.

Cid's mind instantly went to Vincent, as if the dark-haired man had suddenly summoned himself within the pilot's thoughts.

His trust… Cid had gained Vincent's trust. After all the time that they had spent together, after going from friends to lovers to semi-enemies and back to lovers again, Vincent had finally allowed himself to trust the pilot, bringing on a night of what can only be described as the best sex the blond had ever experienced.

He loved Vincent, truly, implicitly. And it wasn't just the great sex. No, there was far more to them than that. The former Turk balanced him out, calmed his anger, and he had a brilliant mind to match, an inner strength that belied the physical. Not to mention, he was undeniably the sexiest beast on the planet. He had found a kindred spirit in the other man unlike he had ever before.

Despite what Vincent thought, Cid did not pity him. He hated Hojo for what the bastard had done but almost had him to thank for being able to meet Vincent in the first place. He wanted nothing more than to take away the pain out of the ex-Turk's eyes, the guilt that the man insisted on carrying. As if all the problems in the world were to rest on his shoulders.

In fact, even now, as Cid felt incredibly lonely, he realized he only wanted the gunman by his side. He missed the calm presence and quiet demeanor of Vincent. He even missed the occasional glares and silent treatment. The man had a sarcastic wit about him when he was in a mood, and well, he wasn't about to lie and say he didn't miss the sex. By Kami-sama, he did!

Was that what we wanted then? Vincent by his side forever in some type of monogamous relationship?

Cid mused on this for several minutes, chewing on a cigarette as he thought, not even bothering to light it.

Of course, that was what he wanted! Damn it! The ex-Turk belonged to him! He didn't want to see the gunman in anyone's arms but his own!

Vincent trusted Cid with his secrets, trusted him with his past, and trusted him with his feelings. Damn it all, if Cid couldn't trust the ex-Turk with his heart!

His mind made up, the Captain turned and headed back towards his house. It was time to make some changes in his life, including making that house more livable.

Yeah, he was going to fight Sephiroth. Kill him, if possible. But more importantly, he was going to protect the man he loved and tell him just that before anything happened. He was going to visit the stars again with Vincent at his side.

He wasn't going to let the man wallow in his guilt and sadness anymore. Cid was going to show him how much he was loved, how human he was, and then never let him go.

"Find out your reason."

That was what Cloud had said. Well, the pilot needed no more encouragement; he had to look no further.

His reason was always standing right smack dab in front of him with crimson eyes and raven hair. He would fight for the chance to make Vincent his; he would fight for the future that they could have, and dammit, he was going to win!


	37. Hidden Truths

--This is a demon speaking.--

**Chapter Thirty-Seven: Hidden Truths**

He found Cloud standing on the bridge of the airship, looking out solemnly at the scenery passing by below him. He stood behind Cloud silently, observing the uncharacteristic behavior of their leader and briefly wondering where the swordsman was going to go like all the others, but then, Vincent pushed the thoughts aside as none of his business. Their friendship had been rocky at best, and he didn't feel it was his place to ask.

When Cloud didn't acknowledge him, the ex-Turk took it upon himself and cleared his throat.

The blond turned around slowly, an eyebrow raised. "Yes?"

"I was hoping that you would allow me to borrow Racer," Vincent said as politely as he could muster.

Cloud was very proud of his golden chocobo, having raised her diligently himself. However, Vincent knew that he would need to go several places and required the chocobo's abilities.

Mako blue eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Are you coming back?" Cloud asked, a note of curiosity to his voice.

Vincent sighed, feeling one of his eyebrows twitch. Did Cloud actually think that little of him?

"Even if I don't, Racer will be returned."

Cloud nodded slowly, though the note of suspicion remained. "Fine. But I'd better get her back."

"Don't worry, Strife. I am well aware of the meaning of responsibility." Vincent headed for the exit, but before he could get a chance to hurry out the door, Cloud's voice stopped him.

"Vincent, don't forget what will be waiting while you're gone."

He whirled on his heels, a note of confusion on his face, even as he glared at Cloud. Vincent snorted inelegantly and headed off the bridge. Was it possible that Cloud was more perceptive than they gave him credit?

The thought was vaguely frightening. Perhaps the confusion and stupidity was just an act, after all.

Vincent went directly to the chocobo barracks, his steps swift as he considered. He knew that in ten minutes or so they would be landing at Nibelheim, so he quickly saddled Racer and prepared her for the landing. He had some research he had to take care of, and the ShinRa mansion was the place to do it.

Before he could make a decision on anything, he had to know. What exactly Hojo had done to him; what exactly had happened in moments when he wasn't unconscious?

Whether or not any of it was reversible.

He wanted to know the reasons behind the experiments, and why he had the claw? He wanted his questions answered before he could even consider allowing Cid to tell him what he knew the pilot had wanted to say.

In his heart, Vincent knew he returned the sentiment. Somehow, along the way, Cid had inched his way past his barriers into a permanent place inside the Vincent's heart. However, he refused to allow himself to hope for a future without understanding whether or not he could even have one.

---

A dark-haired man paced the floor of the hidden lab in the basement of the ShinRa mansion. He was murmuring soundlessly as he read over documents and books, quickly scanning over words and committing them to memory. He had found many case files on himself written by Hojo.

It was his second day in the basement searching for information. The previous night had been spent tossing and turning on a dusty, old mattress in one of the upstairs rooms.

The mad scientist had a habit of writing down everything he did in detail, sometimes with an air of sadistic glee. It seemed he was proud of every experiment he had ever conducted. The ex-Turk had learned about it all.

Mako injections. Jenova shots. Countless surgeries. Scalpels and saws and syringes, more than he could even remember. The insertion of the demons, testing of his healing capabilities, the replacing of the claw on his dominant arm.

Hojo seemed particularly proud of those.

Even more disturbing and nauseating was that Hojo documented every single time he had taken liberties with the captive in his care, conscious or not. He took great pleasure in detailing every scream, every curse, every injury left behind. It was disgusting, and Vincent found himself paling with every word until he crumpled the journal into a ball and threw it into a pile on the floor.

Of course, it was quickly consumed by a ball of fire. There were some things that no one else ever needed to know.

However, he had not found any indication that the experiments could be reversed. The mako accounted for his superior strength and the Jenova for his quick healing; he could only assume that the demons accounted for his night vision, longevity, and other abilities. He knew from examples, such as the new Turks and SOLDIERs, that the mako would forever remain in his body. Jenova, he wasn't too sure about, and neither was Hojo. The length of the effects of the Jenova cells was undetermined at the time of the research. Unless he could find a way to remove the demons, he would have them forever, too.

Most everything that had been done to him was experimental and the first time Hojo had ever tested it on a human being. The thought alone made him tremble with fury. Still, Vincent continued to search through the paperwork, hoping to find more information on the Four Demons of the Apocalypse.

It was then that he found it. His eyes scanned over the page quickly, taking in each and every word with the heavy weight of guilt settling in his chest.

He could hardly believe it.

Vincent breathed heavily, hand shaking unintentionally as he looked over the document yet again.

Test Subject Recommendation.

It was signed by Lucrecia; he would recognize that handwriting anywhere. He skimmed the details, eyes moving rapidly over the water-stained and old piece of paper, remarkably preserved in the dusty basement.

_Test Subject Recommendation:_

_After careful consideration of both the residents of Nibelheim and those given to us by President ShinRa, I have deemed that there are few worthy of taking part in our attempt to better understand the Jenova cells and the use of mako. _

_In particular, Raven and Vincent of the Turks, as well as the son of the innkeeper, Caleb, are the only three fit for surviving such an endeavor. _

_I would recommend either Turk, however, knowing that it would be harder to cover up the death of the child. Additionally… _

Vincent crushed the piece of paper in his hand, crimson eyes burning with an inner anger.

Lucrecia… she… she had _told_ Hojo to experiment on him. That was what he gathered from the form. His mind spun from the discovery. He couldn't understand why she would do such a thing.

How much, _how much_ of what she had said to him had been a lie? How much of what Hojo had claimed was truth?

Everything he had ever believed, none of it could be confirmed as truth or falsehood. He could literally feel his world spin around him as the source of his guilt and pain and love all seemed to center on one person, one that he hadn't yet killed.

--He he! Didn't know that little tidbit, did you?-- Galian Beast sneered.

--We tried to warn you.-- Chaos shrugged. --We told you that Hojo might be lying, but no, you're the big Turk. You don't need our information.--

"How the hell did you know?" Vincent growled.

Galian shrugged, a move that Vincent could see within his mind with little difficulty. He had become remarkably adept at being in tune with his infestations.

--Anyone without a heart filled with love could have seen it. Don't you even wonder what happened to your partner?--

"Raven." Vincent blanched visibly.

It was true, even thirty years ago most Turks didn't go anywhere without their assigned partner. Why hadn't he even worried about Raven?

The man had been the closest thing to a friend, to a family he had while he worked for ShinRa. He should have been one of the first people on Vincent's mind when he woke up.

He vigorously dug through the documents again, looking for anything referring to his partner. He hoped that somehow the man had found enough sense to get away from ShinRa mansion when all the chaos started. Yet, deep in his heart, Vincent recalled Raven's loyalty and stubbornness, and it sent a treble of fear through him.

Somehow, he didn't think that Raven had escaped.

--Are you certain you want to look?-- Chaos laughed. --You might not like what you see.--

Vincent snarled, "Shut up!"

The two demons continued to snicker but didn't speak anymore. They were counting on the fact that the ex-Turk would be horrified by what he discovered.

And then, he found it. Buried among lab notes on the experiments conducted on him, as well as notes on both Cloud and Zack, Vincent came across a stack of carefully bound sheaves of parchment. The hastily scrawled and obviously irritated words filled him with a cold anger that had his body shaking with hatred.

Raven, the partner that he had forgotten about, the dark-eyed man with brown hair, who was an expert in sharp shooting. Raven had been his partner ever since he had joined the Turks.

It seemed that Raven hadn't believed Hojo's explanations of his disappearance, so the scientist had taken matters into his own hands. Raven had quickly become yet another experiment. Hojo had even nicknamed this particular project, dubbed it "Lost Number" because it had failed him.

It was unworthy of anything better.

Vincent crunched the paper in his grasp, images of the notes with Lucrecia's signature flashing through his mind once more. She was as much to blame as Hojo; he knew that much for certain. The documents did not lie.

"How much," he roared to no one in particular.

'How much of my past is a LIE!'

The last was screamed inside his mind as he threw the crumpled paper at an old test tube, sending it clattering to the floor. It shattered, the contents long dried.

--Most likely all of it.-- Galian sniffed with an air of nonchalance.

--You know how to find the answers, do you not?-- Chaos inserted. --Now that Hojo is dead, you know exactly who to ask?--

Vincent's eyes burned with a fierce fury. "Lucrecia," he growled, body trembling with barely restrained anger.

He knew where she was, where she was hiding. The cave behind the waterfall, where she desperately clung to a life she was too proud and fearful to be rid of. It would be a simple task to seek her out. He could confront her about everything.

And this time, she wouldn't be permitted to lie, not with the evidence right in front her.

---

After spending the night in the ShinRa mansion, finding himself too weary to ride a chocobo across two continents and an ocean, Vincent mounted Racer and made his way to the cave behind the waterfall.

The entire journey, he couldn't help the cold rage that built within him. He might not know the entire truth, but he did know that he had been deceived. He had been put through unspeakable tortures, nightmares for three decades, all for a woman he had thought needed to be saved.

He deserved some fucking answers.

Around mid-afternoon, he found himself at the entrance to the cavern, and Vincent tied up Racer and holstered his Supershot ST, a gift from Yuffie after she had found it in the Ancient Forest. He steeled himself for the confrontation he knew was coming and entered the cool, darkness of the cave.

After a minute of walking through the blinding darkness, he came out into the cavern proper. As his eyes adjusted to the luminescent light, he realized with only a faint hint of anger that it was as empty as he had left it before.

Vincent cursed aloud and turned to leave when something caught his attention.

There on the platform, where Lucrecia had once stood, were two items. One was a three-barreled shotgun that looked even more powerful than his current weapon, and the other was a small chain with an interesting pendant on the end. Shaped like Cerberus, the three-headed dog, it was made of silver and glinted like it had just been polished. It seemed to be an attachment for the weapon.

Looking the hilt of the gun as he inspected it, he noticed the name inscribed on the hilt in a scrawling script.

_Death Penalty_.

And judging by the weight and strength of it, the shotgun was the most powerful weapon he had found or bought so far. Had Lucrecia left the two items knowing that he would return at some time?

He frowned. Not that it would endear him to her any.

He holstered the Death Penalty and flipped the small attachment to it in his hand. The metal gleamed strangely in the odd luminescence of the cavern, and he only briefly wondered exactly what it was. He whirled on his heels then, and in a swirl of crimson cloak, he headed towards the exit, still furious that he hadn't gotten to confront Lucrecia.

Perhaps she had sensed his fury and had hidden. It wouldn't surprise him since her deeds had only pointed to cowardice.

Vincent had nearly made it to the door when the voice floated out of the darkness behind him.

"You came, after all."

The voice was unmistakable.

He whirled around, finding her in the same spot he had seen her the time before.

"Lucia…" he breathed, for a moment forgetting what he had come to say. The mere sight of her had caused his heart to leap in his chest, but only until he shook his head violently, remembering why he had come.

"You used me!" he declared loudly, storming towards her with his human hand clenched at his side.

She winced visibly, brown eyes darkening with sadness. "I realize my mistake," Lucrecia responded softly, managing to sound contrite. "Hojo was using me--"

"Sound familiar?" Vincent interrupted. He held up the crumpled piece of paper that he had found the day earlier. "Test subject recommendation?" he accused, his tone sharp and bitter.

Lucrecia sighed, recoiling from the obvious evidence of her deeds. "Yes. In the beginning, that is all you were to me. Even after we shared all those moments, there was a reason behind it all."

The gunman's eyes narrowed in anger, though inside he was feeling like someone had torn his heart out. Her admittance was like being told she had killed herself with his own gun.

She shook her head frantically. "But you don't understand," Lucrecia wailed. "I loved Hojo. I would have done anything for him. We needed someone of Turk strength to experiment for military applications. Raven and you were perfect, and the President--"

"What about the President?" he growled, body drawn taut with tension.

"He gave you to us. He said all the other Turks refused to kill you because you were their favorite, their Commander [1. Somehow, you had gotten on his bad side." Lucrecia shook her head, hands coming up in front of her, desperately trying to hold herself together. "I didn't even ask why."

Vincent felt cold all over. ShinRa was to blame for his pain as well. Not just one manipulative woman, not just one crazed scientist, but the whole damn company.

Lucrecia's quiet sobs drew his attention from his musings. "I began to love you, Vincent. When I found out I was pregnant, there was a part of me that hoped the baby was yours." She sniffled, rubbing fiercely at her eyes, although the tears did not cease.

"But I fought that down because I was convinced… I was convinced the Jenova cells and mako could help out everyone. What was one sacrifice for the lives of many? And Hojo knew you wouldn't submit to the testing." Her hands began to wring together as her red-rimmed eyes darted around nervously.

He wondered why he couldn't even find any pity inside of him.

"It was my job to _weaken_ you--"

Vincent snarled, "What about Raven? You fuck him, too? Scream out his name as you--"

"No!" Lucrecia shook her head violently. "We weren't even going to use him at first, but then, he was nosy when you disappeared. We had no choice." She swallowed thickly. "I couldn't let anything happen to the research."

"I know. I found the notes," Vincent snapped.

His hand clenched and then unclenched at his side, longing to wrap around her throat and just squeeze, and Vincent turned to leave before he did something he wouldn't regret; he had heard enough.

After all, Lucrecia wouldn't lie to him about something that would make him despise her. He deemed her words the truth since they coincided with the research. And Hojo would rather stab out his own eyes than falsify his notes.

Nevertheless, Vincent didn't get far before felt a hand on his arm, a desperate plea for him to remain.

"Please, stay here with me," she begged, her voice fraught with despair. "I can't stand to be alone. I began to realize my mistakes when I heard the tortured cries of Sephiroth, my child who I never even got to hold. But I couldn't help him; I couldn't do anything to save him or you. I tried to end it, but with the damn Jenova in me…" She paused, the tears still falling. "I ran. I ran when I couldn't die."

He didn't look at her, revulsion slowly replacing the fury in his heart. "Leaving your child in the arms of a madman, how incredibly brave of you," he said snarkily.

She stiffened, her fingers curling around his bicep tightly. "It may not have been courageous of me, but I knew of nothing else to do. That is why I brought you the Death Penalty and the Cerberus chain. They will help you; I gathered that from the research. The chain is supposed to counteract the demons or something…" She shook her head as if trying to recall. "Please. Just stay."

"No." He shook her off with a violent motion and stepped towards the exit, his movements jerky and uneven.

"Please," she agonized. "I love you!"

Vincent turned once to glance at her, eyes looking over at the woman he had once loved more than life itself. A woman he had wanted to save. who didn't even need his sacrifice in the first place.

"I don't believe you even know the meaning of the word, Lucia. You left your own son, your only child, to be tortured and experimented on." Vincent shook his head. "Goodbye, Lucrecia."

Without another word, Vincent left his one-time beloved and never looked back. Her sobs followed him, but he had already sealed his heart to her cries. Vincent walked to where Racer was waiting patiently, and she warbled pleasantly at him as he climbed into the saddle. He just sat there, however, realizing he had no idea where to go.

Inside, his emotions were a violent whirl of disorder, and he was at a loss for what to do. There was still that part of him that wanted to return to the cave and hold her, whisper words of love again and make her happy. He couldn't help the tender feelings that he still held.

Regardless, he knew, _he knew_ that they would be forever tainted by what she had done. They could never be happy together, not now… not ever again.

It was then that his thoughts centered on who he was before AVALANCHE, before Hojo, before the Turks, when he was still Uesugi Vincent. He wondered if those he had always considered his parents still lived, if perhaps he had siblings.

Vincent felt a sudden urge to find out and knew where he had to go. Back to Junon, to see if the Uesugi's still lived there.

After all, he was technically only fifty-seven years old. By all accounts, they shouldn't have died of old age yet. Perhaps other reasons but not old age.

His mother would have just turned seventy-seven, and his father would be around eighty. In a world where people could live to be well over a hundred, Bugenhagen a different case altogether, surely they would still be alive. Of course, that is unless something untoward had happened to them.

He only balked for a few moments, remembering what had happened at their last parting: his mother's tear-stained face, his father's saddened resignation. When he had been faced with the truth of his birth, he had turned his back on them. Vincent deeply regretted that now, and he could only hope that they could forgive his immature and childish tantrum.

His mind made up, Vincent grabbed Racer's reins and headed Junon. After he and his family had moved out of their home in Wutai all those years ago, his parents had settled in Junon. Racial discrimination wasn't as big an issue there as it was in the pure-blooded views of the Wutaiians at the time, and he supposed that he owed much of the new attitude in Wutai to Yuffie's parents.

Still, he really couldn't blame them. There had been a war going on.

It was just nearing sunset when Vincent made it to Junon, and the gunman realized that he had a little over twenty-four hours to return to the airship, if indeed he was going to do so. He took Racer to one of the stables on the edge of town and then headed for the residential section of the military city.

His parents had lived on one of the lower levels, just above those that led to the Junon Harbor. Here, there was a small community of houses similar to those in the suburbs of Wutai where they had once resided. Of course, almost everyone in the neighborhood had originally lived on the island nation, leaving it for reasons much similar to his family's.

Walking along the nearly deserted streets, the former Turk couldn't help but peek into the windows of the houses. He saw many families sitting together, simply enjoying one another's company in their last days, and Vincent felt a pang of longing in his chest, realizing that he missed his family very much.

It seemed he was always making mistakes when it concerned those he loved.

Finally, he found himself standing outside the two-storey home that had once been his. It was quaint and small, much like those nearby, but they hadn't really needed anything bigger. They could afford more, but his father had preferred the ease of having a comfortable home rather than one large and overtly extravagant.

Vincent frowned at the overgrown nature of the yard and the general unkemptness. Wrapping his cloak around him more firmly, covering his gauntlet, he walked up to the front door and knocked loudly.

There was no immediate answer, so he tried again, listening intently at the same moment. He could hear nothing from the inside. He moved over to peek into the windows, but it was completely dark; he couldn't see anything.

Maybe they had moved out?

"Are you looking for the Uesugi's?" a kind female voice asked from behind him.

Vincent whirled around to find a grey-haired lady smoking a pipe as she stood on the porch of the house next door.

The ex-Turk nodded slowly. "Yes. Do you know where they have gone?"

The elderly woman sighed, her eyes darkening with a hint of sadness. "The lady passed nearly seven years ago with the husband following her about three years later. He didn't want to live without her."

Inside, Vincent wilted.

It had been a vague hope at best, but a part of him had wanted to see them again. Rumors of his disappearance must have reached them, despite their estrangement. They would have been worried, and now, he could never make amends. It was far too late.

The older woman peered at Vincent closely. "Why don't you come inside, and I will tell you more about it?"

Vincent was surprised at the woman's friendliness. After all, he didn't exactly look inviting. Still, he nodded in response. "Yes, thank you."

The older woman waved him off as she waited for Vincent to come over, opening the door to her house. It creaked only slightly.

"The Uesugi's were very kind to me. I'm Pinako."

"I am… uh…"

He hesitated, racking his brain for an answer when he realized he couldn't very use his true name. She might recognize it, and he certainly didn't look his age. It would cause undue questions. He settled for the first name that popped in his head.

"Eh… Kisaragi… Tseng Kisaragi," he finished, trying to sound more certain than he felt and belatedly wondering where all his skills of subterfuge and deception had gone.

As realization about his response struck, Vincent silently berated himself for using Yuffie's last name, though it had been the best he could come up with on short notice. Still, why he had linked it with the Turk Commander's name he would never know. It was probably due to the fact that he more closely resembled Tseng than anyone else, except perhaps Yuffie herself, and he was _not_ going there.

Pinako raised an eyebrow. "For a minute there, I didn't think you knew who you were." Her tone was amused and a bit curious, as if she had already picked up on his note of hesitance.

Vincent couldn't help the slight blush that broke out over his face. "Sometimes, even I wonder."

The old lady smirked as she puffed on her pipe and led him to the family room. She gestured that he sit on the couch as she went into the kitchen. Within moments, she emerged with two cups of steaming tea, and she sat in a chair and regarded him thoughtfully, waiting for him to begin the conversation.

"Why does no one live there now?"

Pinako exhaled slowly. "When Kaien… Mr. Uesugi died, the house was left to his son, Vincent. But no one ever found out what had happened to him. Rumor was that he had died." She shrugged. "No one knew for sure."

He mused on this. "They never had any other children?"

She shook her head, sipping at her cup of tea. "No. They tried, but Mrs. Uesugi found out that she was unable to not long after Vincent left."

Guilt clenched in his chest. He would have been their only child, and yet, he had treated them so terribly.

"How unfortunate," Vincent commented quietly, staring down at the orange-scented tea in his lap. It remained untouched.

Pinako studied him for a second. "You could almost be his son."

He blinked. "Mr. Uesugi's?"

She shook her head. "No, Vincent's. You look an awful lot like him, but your eyes, they are a most peculiar color. I could never forget that particular shade of black hair everyone in the Uesugi family had. Even Rukia, Mrs. Uesugi, who wasn't completely Wutaiian."

He smiled briefly, memories of his adoptive kin filling his mind. Of course, no one outside the family had known that he was only their nephew.

"You were good friends with them, then?"

"Yes, Kaien in particular. He and my husband played cards here, in this very house, every Thursday for almost fifty years." Pinako sipped her tea. "And you, how did you know the Uesugi's?"

Vincent reeled and tried to rack his brain, once again wondering where his Turk skills had gone. "I-- my father was Vincent's partner as a Turk."

She looked at him shrewdly, as if not believing what he said, before shrugging. "It was nice of you to come and see them. Do you happen to know what happened to Vincent?"

"Only the early parts," Vincent answered unexpectedly, feeling the strange urge to bare his soul. "He met a woman, fell in love, and then…" His gaze lowered again. "No one knows what happened to him after that. It's assumed that Vincent Valentine died a long time ago."

In a way, it was true. The way he was, the man he was before Hojo had tainted him, he would never be that person again. He was still Vincent, but he would never be Vincent the Turk or Uesugi Vincent again. He had come to accept that.

He could feel her eyes boring into the top of his head, however, and decided now was the time to make a hasty exit.

"I thank you for your time," Vincent inserted, rising to his feet. "I appreciate your help and the tea as well." He set the untouched cup down on the table.

She smiled up at him. "Anytime." Pinako stood from her chair and escorted him to the door, her hands tucked behind her back. "It's so rare that I get a visitor now that my granddaughter lives in Rocket Town."

He tipped his head once more in thanks before stepping off of the porch. Vincent intended to leave Junon, picking up Racer along the way. From there, he would then decide what to do next, whether he would return to the Highwind or something else.

He turned and gave her a brief wave with his human hand.

"Come back and see me again, Mr. Uesugi!" Pinako called out. "Maybe I can tell you about your grandparents next time. I really think you would have liked them."

Vincent froze for an instant. He shook his head and continued on his path.

Perhaps she was sharper than he thought.

---

When darkness fell, Vincent found himself outside, camped under the stars. For some reason, being in the city and in an inn didn't appeal to him. He was feeling restless and knew that to be within the walls of a room would make him feel trapped. Instead, he had opted to camp in the wilderness with only Racer to keep him company.

There was much he had on his mind, not that it was any different from usual.

Vincent knew he had to return to the Highwind tomorrow, if indeed that was what he was going to do. He had researched his past as he had intended and had discovered most of the truth.

According to Hojo, there was no way to reverse the effects of what he had done. Which meant begged the question: did Vincent want to remain in his state?

He frowned in thought.

Honestly, he didn't feel guilty anymore. That consuming feeling, which had pressed in on his heart until he felt he couldn't breathe, was fading. Lucrecia had brought it upon herself. She was delusional, even before he had fallen for her, and she had been using him in the worst way possible.

If anything, he should loathe her very being.

Still, something inside of himself prevented that feeling from rising. It was too hard to make the caring emotions fade, not when sparkling eyes still haunted his memories and feminine laughter echoed against a star-lit sky. Much like the one he stared at now.

Vincent cared just enough that he couldn't despise her, but he didn't pity her either.

In consideration, he realized that he couldn't blame the entire event on himself any longer. He had been led astray, and while he would have been smarter to abide by his Turk rules from the beginning, his only fault was trusting another human. He was a Turk, true, and he should have noticed what was going on. He should not have been blinded by love, but everyone made mistakes.

He was to blame only in part for his condition.

It was strange. Once the thought had entered his brain, it was hard to make it leave. The essence of blame flitted away when faced with the utter and terrible truth. It was… _freeing_, for lack of a better word.

He was beginning to feel different, unlike he had since he had woken. The huge burden of his culpability, the feelings of failure and his own worthlessness, was fading but not entirely. One truth still hovered on the edge of his conscious, one life he had not managed to save.

One person who did not deserve his fate.

Sephiroth.

With all the research that he had conducted, Vincent could not produce any results as to the General's true parents. He had expected Hojo to gloat over it everywhere. Or at least, to find the results of a paternity test.

Instead, there was nothing.

Copious notes on Jenova applications, mako injections, Sephiroth's birth itself, but nothing on the General's father.

And Vincent couldn't even tell by looking at the man. He looked so much like Lucrecia in the face, possessing her straight nose and full lips, having her chin and the shape of her almond eyes. Sephiroth's other features were too ambiguous, and as loathe as Vincent was to admit it, he and Hojo bore too close a physical resemblance to be able to truly tell one way or the other.

And there it was, that lingering feeling of guilt that made him frown and furrow his brow. Sephiroth might not have been his son, but much of what had happened was not the boy's fault. He had been neglected, experimented on, ignored, abused. Sephiroth had been completely unloved.

It was no wonder the man had turned into a raving lunatic.

Vincent had nearly succumbed to the madness himself when faced with the truth of what Hojo had done to him, and he was an adult, a former Turk with training to resist capture and torture. He shuddered to think what the same treatment would do to a child.

Further, Lucrecia hadn't even tried to protect her son. Like the hideous coward she was, she had left him in Hojo's care as she fled. Could Vincent do the same and leave Sephiroth to his fate? Or would he take a hand in the end of the world and fight for the boy as he should have done all those years ago?

Would Sephiroth have been saved if Vincent had not failed then?

The question was haunting.

Perhaps if someone had saved him all those years ago, they wouldn't have had to fight him today. Sephiroth might have grown up to be a normal man; he might have learned to love. The world would have been a happier place if Vincent had managed to save the child.

It was another shame, blight on his soul, equally strong as the one he felt for Lucrecia. However, this time, he felt he could do something about it. It wasn't too late. Well, perhaps too late for Sephiroth's sanity and the chance at a normal life.

Still, it wasn't too late to save his soul, to save him from himself.

Maybe, in some small way, Vincent could provide the boy a measure of peace. He deserved that bit of kindness from someone who actually cared about his wellbeing.

A wind stirred, ruffling his hair, and Vincent opened his eyes, appreciating the still solitude of his location. It was the perfect place to think, and since he was lying on his back, his eyes instantly turned to the darkened sky above him. Meteor was a constant and threatening red presence off to the side, but more importantly, he could see the crescent shape of the moon opposite of it.

It was strange. One represented destruction, the other a vague hope and a dream. Yet, they shared the same sky.

It wasn't his dream by any means, but the sight of the moon brought to mind his lover, Cid. And that thought brought a smile to his face, one that was tainted a bit by his melancholy. Highwind was a man Vincent thought he could find himself happy with. There was something about the arrogant, uncouth and occasionally sweet and sensitive Cid that made the ex-Turk warm inside. Cid made him finally feel at peace. He felt with the blond that he could be himself and that in the pilot's blue gaze there was something to hope for.

Now that everyone he had ever loved from his past was either dead or gone, he might be able to move on into the future.

--If you even have a future,-- a voice rumbled on the edge of his mind accompanied by a mocking snort.

He recognized the demon immediately since Chaos never could resist an opportunity to needle him. The beast took great delight in sending him the most vicious and bloodthirsty images.

Crimson eyes narrowed as Vincent jerked to a sitting position. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He seethed, hand unconsciously curling into a fist at his side.

--Sephiroth is strong,-- Galian Beast growled, joining the conversation. --You think you can actually beat him?--

A sardonic chuckle flitted on the corner of his brain, bringing along with it the terrible scent of fresh-spilled blood. --And it's not long before I am able to emerge. I might kill you.--Chaos' mocking voice only incensed him further.

The gunman pursed his lips. "I will never call for you."

Chaos was not amused. --I do not need to wait for your summons. I will come on my own, and you will see what it means to be a demon, rather than this pathetic human existence you cling to so strongly.--

Inwardly, Vincent knew that Chaos was right. As more and more time went by, his link to his final and most powerful demon grew stronger. It was becoming more difficult to block out Chaos' attempts to break free, as evidenced by what had happened after seeing Lucrecia the first time.

And the final demon was desperate to be free.

"I would die before I let you free," Vincent snarled in return.

--You won't have the opportunity,-- Galian Beast taunted, high-pitched voice enough to make his skin crawl.

Chaos' deep rumbling tone slithered across his brain. --The first thing I plan to do is lop off that foolish human's head. Just to see the look on your face when his blood is on your hands. I can guarantee that there will be no further restraint from you.--

Vincent's face went livid, managing to both pale and send a flush of red anger at the same time. He ultimately wished that he had something in front of him to shoot.

"I will not let you lay a hand on him."

--You couldn't stop him.-- Galian smirked. --And you know it.--

"Silence!" the gunman ordered.

They chuckled, dark laughter of menace and glee, before falling silent, considering their part in taunting him done for the night. Both demons were very well aware that their words would remain, however, constantly ringing through Vincent's mind.

The option to just turn around and leave the world to its business was no longer available to him, if he was even going to consider it in the first place. He couldn't turn his back on Sephiroth, and he couldn't turn his back on Cid and the others. They had all grudgingly become ensnared in his heart.

And if Chaos emerged, he knew the first deaths on the demon's hands would be his friends. It would please the beast to no end to be the one to take their lives.

Perhaps Cloud could defeat Chaos. Nanaki most likely. But the others?

It might as well be their death warrant.

He owed it to Sephiroth to be the one to end it. As someone who had failed to protect the boy, it was his duty to do so. The former General was owed that final courtesy, to lose his life at the hands of someone who actually cared about his fate and his soul.

He had to be there to protect Cid as well. He knew the pilot loved him, could see it shining in sky blue eyes. In his heart, he knew he returned the sentiment, and he refused to let another person die because of his inability to protect them. He was not going to make that mistake again. He would defend Cid with his life, if need be. As it were, he might as well have been living on borrowed time.

Chaos was growing stronger, and he didn't know if he could stop the demon in the rapidly approaching future.

The world was teetering on a brink, and it was up to AVALANCHE to stop it. It was up to Vincent to save Sephiroth, and he was determined to protect his lover.

After all, Aeris' sacrifice had been returned to them. Someone had to take her place.

[1 Going with fan speculation on my part. I don't really know who was the Turk Commander before Veld, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't Vincent. I didn't find this out until after the fic had been written, and I'm not changing it.


	38. No Promises

**Chapter Thirty-Eight: No Promises**

Despite the fact that they were sharing a bed, the two remained fully clothed, content to lie wrapped up in each other's arms. Her death and recent resurrection were still all too real for Cloud, and a small part of him feared letting go. The warm weight of her head on his chest was a welcome comfort, and her legs entangled with his was a surefire sign that she was with him.

He sighed, running a non-gloved hand through her hair as his eyes flickered to the window. "It'll be dusk in a few hours."

She smiled, patting his belly. "Don't worry," Aeris responded. "They will come back."

"Always the optimistic one, ne?" He beamed and shifted in his position, one of his legs starting to go numb. They had lain like that most of the day, reluctant to do anything more than spend the last few days together.

Her voice was calm and gentle, as always. Unfailingly kind. The type of kindness that made it easy for her to give her life to save them before.

"I prefer to believe in my friends," she replied.

"I promise," Cloud began, "When this is over, no more fighting, no more running around the world, no more fearing for our lives; we can just live in peace. Once the world is safe, it can be just you and me." He reached his free hand into the drawer next to him and started rummaging around as if looking for something.

Her forehead furrowed in confusion, and she tilted her head to the side. "I'd like that." Aeris smiled, trailing her fingers over the blond's chest. It seemed that she hadn't known a day in her life when she didn't have to run or fight, the concept of peace was generally foreign.

"I'd hope that when we go into battle, we do it together," Cloud said, having found what he was looking for. He gripped it tightly in his hand as he moved to angle her head so that she was looking at him. "I want you by my side when I have to face him, as my friend…" He brought the item in his hand into her view. "And as the woman I love."

She gasped, green eyes wide with surprise. There, nestled in his palm, was a velvet box, the lid open. Within the soft lining of the inside was a delicate silver ring with three diamonds, the one in the middle larger but not by much. It was beautiful.

"Is that…?"

He took it out and looked at her with a question on his lips. She nodded softly and held out her hand.

"It's only a promise, but one I intend to keep. I don't know what is going to happen in this battle, but I refuse to make you a widow early. I have confidence that we will all succeed. I still want you to understand how much I care."

Her eyes threatened to overspill as they welled up with tears, green glistening in the dim light of the room. He slipped the delicate ring on her finger.

It fit perfectly.

They smiled together as she leaned forward, and they shared a short but passionate kiss, tongues mingling with both happiness and hope.

"It's perfect," she whispered against his lips.

Cloud opened his mouth with the intention of responding, when suddenly the Highwind gave a great shudder around them. The familiar hum of the engines stirring to life echoed around the empty airship, and he could hear the massive propellers whirling to life. Confused, both he and Aeris sat up, exchanging glances.

Realization dawned on the flower-girl, and her face brightened. "They must be back!" she exclaimed happily.

Cloud nodded, grabbing her hand. "Let's go see."

They rose from the bed and headed for the bridge, hand in hand. A familiar voice greeted them upon their entrance, loud and gruff as always.

"Wondered when ya were going to show the hell up!" Cid brashly declared, waving a hand at them as he poked and prodded at the control panel to in front of him.

A large grin broke out onto the flower-girl's face. "Cid!" she exclaimed warmly, moving forward to embrace the man.

He accepted her hug, cheeks staining a bit with his embarrassment before he gently pushed her back into Cloud's arms. A spear-calloused hand rubbed the back of his head, momentarily dislodging his goggles and forcing him to resituate them.

Cloud shook his head. "You never cease to amaze me, old man!"

"Old man!" the Captain spluttered, face peppering red with his irritation. "Now, see here," he began, shoving a finger in the younger man's face.

Aeris punched her promised lightly, giving him a disproving stare. "Don't tease him like that. He is at a perfectly respectable age."

"Damn right!" Cid agreed. "And I can kick your skinny ass any day!"

There was a chuckle from behind them, breaking into their friendly banter.

"Well, I am glad to see that everyone is still getting along so well," Nanaki's teasing voice echoed.

They turned to see the demi-human leaning casually in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. He was smirking at the three of them, and a new aura of danger had settled around him, along with the shining new weapon on his arm.

Sky blue eyes rolled as Cid waved a hand dismissively at him. "Tch," the pilot muttered in greeting. "That all you got to say?"

Nanaki shook his head as he came further into the room, his movements still maintaining that element of feline grace, in spite of his new form. "What's this? No, happy to see you? Glad you came back?" He shrugged, a mischievous look starting to take over his features.

Cid eyed him cautiously, wondering if perhaps the demi-human had been spending too much time with Yuffie.

"Do I have to tell a certain gunman about your rudeness?"

Aeris and Cloud snickered, their titters earning them a glare from the Captain, even as his eyebrows rose nearly to his hairline. It seemed secrets were literally impossible to keep in such a close-knit group as theirs.

The pilot huffed, turning on his heels to face the control panel once more. "I don't know what yer taking about," he denied, playing along with Nanaki, despite the clenching feeling in his heart. He didn't even know if Vincent was going to be coming back. He hoped it, he wanted to believe it, but he was as much in the dark as the rest of them.

The red-haired male wagged a clawed finger. "The Nile is not just a river in Egypt," he commented, but he frowned when they all gave him blank looks. "It's something grandfather used to say. It refers to our history." He waved his hand in dismissal. "Don't ask."

"Well," Aeris interjected, moving forward to embrace her friend as was her usual form of greeting. "I am happy to see you even, if Mr. Surly over there is pretending he isn't." She whispered in his ear, so that Cid couldn't hear her. "Perhaps Vincent is rubbing off on him, ne?"

Cid snorted, addressing them without bothering to turn around. "Who said I was pretendin'?"

"Oh?" Nanaki questioned, golden eyes noticing the obvious sparkle on one of Aeris' fingers. His gaze flickered to Cloud as he took her hand in his, holding it up to the light. "What's this?"

A lovely blush spread across Aeris' cheek. "It's only a promise, but…" She looked over at Cloud, and the two shared a loving smile.

"Promises are just as sacred," Nanaki intoned solemnly.

At the helm, Cid suddenly whirled around. "Yo, Nanaki?" he called out.

The demi-human looked away from Aeris to raise an eyebrow as Cid motioned him over.

Rolling his eyes, Nanaki excused himself from Aeris and Cloud. "What?"

Cid leaned in conspiratorially and grinned as he whispered in the demi-human's ears. "You should watch just what you say cause the cargo bay has cameras," he informed the other male, inwardly rubbing his hands together in glee. He had seen the scene earlier and had been eager for Nanaki to get back. Now, the Captain could have a little payback.

Nanaki's eyes widened as he placed an innocent expression on his face. "I didn't know that, Cid; thank you for informing me," he replied nonchalantly.

Blue eyes narrowed. "Don't give me that. You know what I'm talking about."

Nanaki raised a brow. "You must be mistaking me for someone else."

"Fine, fine, but wait until Vincent gets here," Cid declared, waving a hand of dismissal before pointing a finger at the demi-human. "But remember this: payback's a bitch!"

Nanaki laughed and wandered away. Cid could claim whatever he wanted, but until the demi-human saw the tapes for himself, he wasn't worried. The blond was just speculating, wasn't he?

It wasn't so much that he was embarrassed… Okay, so he was embarrassed, but he didn't want Yuffie to be worried. Then again, did that girl have shame about anything?

He was distracted from his musings by the arrival of Reno and Reeve, who had come together. They were just the cutest couple Nanaki had ever seen, excluding Cid and Vincent, of course. The demi-human had figured out long ago who Reeve's secret liaison in ShinRa was. He and the ninja had had many fun times teasing the older man about it.

The two former ShinRa were conversing with Cloud and Aeris, so Nanaki wandered up to join them.

"Barret is fine. He and Marlene have taken up residence with Missus Gainsborough, yo," Reno drawled, casting Aeris a sidelong look.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "No!" she exclaimed, mouth gaping. "Barret and… my mom??"

The former executive nodded, distinctly amused. "Seems like it," Reeve responded. "And you will never guess who Rude married either."

Mako eyes blinked in astonishment. "Rude married?" Cloud exclaimed. "Who?"

Reno smirked and opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted when Cid ambled over and made his presence known.

"Hadn't been back more than a few minutes and already got you all gossiping like a buncha old ladies," the pilot commented as he slapped the ex-executive on the back painfully.

Despite his ability in battle, Reeve was still lithe, and Cid's slap was a bit more powerful than he had intended. The other man jerked forward slightly and frowned at his friend.

"You could be a bit gentler, Cid," Reeve admonished.

"What about Archer?" Aeris interjected. "You know, your friend?"

Recognition seemed to dawn on the pilot's features. "Which reminds me," he began. "I been meaning ta ask you about him--"

"He's fine," Reeve interrupted, casting a sidelong look at his friend. "The Turks saved Archer, Tseng, and Marlene just in the nick of time. He's staying with Elena and Tseng at the house they all bought in Kalm."

Reno snickered then, nudging his lover with one shoulder as he tapped his Electro Rod against his shoulder. It seemed he couldn't stay still for long.

"And Rude and his new wife are shacking up in a hotel room until they get enough money together to buy themselves a place."

Nanaki shook his head in disbelief. "The world is coming to an end. I think I should get married," he commented sardonically, causing those gathered to laugh.

At the speed most relationships were going, it seemed his words weren't far from the truth. With Rude married, Barret and Elmyra living together, Cloud and Aeris promised, Reno and Reeve together, as well as Cid and Vincent, it appeared that the time for marriage had come at last. As well as the last moments for being with the one you loved.

"You're still young," Reeve joked, grasping Nanaki warmly by the shoulder. "You have you're whole life ahead of you."

"Unless Sephiroth takes that away," Cid grumbled under his breath.

A quiet hush fell over the group.

Aeris frowned disapprovingly, shooting the Captain a stern look. "Hey, now," she admonished. "No thinking dark thoughts until after the battle. We've got enough on our plates without stressing and worrying ourselves to death about what's coming up."

"I'm just speaking the truth," Cid countered shortly. "I ain't ashamed to say that I'm scared shitless, and I'll be damned if I try to think rainbows and puppies when all I can see is blood."

The pilot was never able to do anything more than be truthful, and that was the way he saw it. Nothing anyone could say would change that.

"Old men should retire and leave the fighting to us young ones," a voice announced from above.

All eyes turned upwards as the Captain sputtered, his face darkening with irritated anger.

"Yuffie!" A chorus of voices identified the mysterious arriver.

The little ninja dropped down from the ceiling, seeming more composed and stronger than when she had left. She had a grin plastered on her face and an extremely powerful weapon in her hand. She landed in the center of their little discussion circle with only a small bow.

Walking up to the pilot she placed her hand on his shoulder and gave him her most solemn look, brown eyes twinkling merrily. "I promise that when we get back we will get you the best retirement home."

"You little!" Cid spluttered, unable to complete his sentence as his face burned with anger, and his fingers itched to hold his spear. He reached up with hands twitching to wrap around her neck.

Yuffie laughed and danced out of his way, coming to stand between Nanaki and Aeris, knowing neither would let the pilot touch her. She regarded him with smug amusement, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Calm down, Cid," Cloud murmured, though he was hiding laughter behind his gloved palm. "She was only joking. Right?" He shot Yuffie a warning glance.

"Right!" the ninja chimed, a rather large grin on her face. "You're okay for an old man, Cid."

The demi-human clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder, nearly throwing the smaller female off balance. "With that said, why don't you give him back Jade Tiger?" he suggested, turning an amused grin on his friend. He was more than glad that they weren't acting awkward around each other.

Her eyes widened innocently. "What are you talking about?" she asked, folding her hands behind her back. "I wouldn't ever dare take anyone's--"

"What?" Cid's surprised splutter interrupted her rebuttal. He searched his weapon and armlet, finding that his favorite materia was gone. "You little thief!"

Cloud shot the ninja a warning look. "Yuffie."

She pouted, lower lip jutting out. "Oh, fine!" The ninja dug into her pocket and tossed Cid the red orb.

He caught it deftly and scowled as he put it back into the Venus Gospel. Jade Tiger was his favorite summon.

"You're no fun."

"I see the three days haven't dampened that unfailing spirit," Reeve remarked.

"Oh, Kitty!" Yuffie gushed suddenly, clapping her hands together. "I didn't realize you were standing there."

Reeve reddened immediately, rubbing a hand over his face as his lover burst out laughing.

"Kitty! You call him kitty?" exclaimed the Turk in astonishment, cackling loudly. It was almost too amusing for words.

The others couldn't help but join in as they laughed at the embarrassed Reeve. Yuffie merely smiled broadly as she snickered. It was wonderful to see everyone finally getting along for once.

"Nevertheless," Aeris continued, finally catching her breath. "We are glad you came back Yuffie."

Cloud nodded and stepped away from the group to head for the window on the control deck. He stood at the massive glass and stared out as the sun began to sink lower and lower in the sky. It appeared his earlier approximation of the time was less than accurate. Dusk would fall in a mere ten minutes.

"And just in time, too," he commented, motioning towards the beautiful sunset that was taking place.

The others joined him, watching the brilliant colors as they spread across the sky. There were oranges, purples, and pinks, spreading a wonderful picture that any artist would be thrilled to paint.

Cid was the first to break away from the group, heading towards the control panel and busying himself with prepping the ship. None of them had the heart to mention that it might be the last sunset they would ever see.

Aeris unconsciously grabbed Cloud's hand and twined her fingers with his, smiling when she noticed Reeve doing the same with Reno. Even Yuffie had bumped shoulders with Nanaki.

Cloud sighed as the last rays of sunlight dipped into the dim of dusk, sending a shadow across the land. "Well, that's the end of it," he announced, turning to face the others. "Time to go."

The former executive frowned as his gaze raked over the entire group. "But where is Vincent?" he asked.

It was the question on everyone's minds, but he was the first to voice it.

"You mean he hasn't got here yet?" Yuffie asked, quickly scanning the group.

Vincent was a quiet guy, and he didn't really bother her much. Still, she had hoped he would come back like everyone else. She didn't want to fight Sephiroth without all of her friends.

"Check the chocobo paddock," Cloud ordered, waving a hand of dismissal. "He said he would bring back Racer even if…" he trailed off and shook his head.

For Cid's sake, he didn't complete the sentence, even if the truth was glaringly obvious.

Nanaki nodded and moved over to the control panel. He hit a gleaming green button and brought up the camera for the view screen in the paddocks. His face fell when he saw the gold chocobo that was standing there, warbling softly.

"Racer's there," he answered softly.

"I'll go close the cargo bay and lock it up, then," Cid muttered as he moved to flip some switch on the control panel. "No sense in leaving it wide open any longer."

They all watched, none making a comment, as the pilot left.

Jade eyes dimmed with sadness. "I honestly thought he would come back," Aeris commented softly, squeezing the fingers wrapped in hers.

"Who's to say he didn't?" The little ninja smirked, moving to the control panel, where she had last seen Cid standing.

Cloud furrowed his brow and frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Yuffie scanned the panel in front of her, trying to figure out what button Cid had pushed. Shrugging, she tapped a switch and let out a whoop when the screen revealed the cargo bay.

"Ah… haha!" she said excitedly.

"What did you find?" Reeve questioned, moving to stand beside her.

She smirked. "Who says Vincent didn't return?" She gestured towards the screen, tapping a finger over one particular box.

---

Cid made his way to the cargo bay, curiosity and hope etched into his features. He could have sworn the camera had shown Vincent in there. He had volunteered to shut the doors so that he could speak to the gunman in private.

But when he arrived, it seemed deserted.

Only a bit crestfallen, Cid made his way to the panel and input the code that would close the doors. He watched as the metal slid shut, effectively blocking out the last view of the descending twilight. He sighed as the rapidly approaching night sky disappeared from view.

"You didn't believe I would return?" Vincent's smooth and sultry voice came from behind him.

Cid whipped around to see the sexy former Turk leaning in the doorway that led to the stairs. He had to have been hiding in the shadows when the Captain had first entered.

He quickly regained his composure. "Well, your letter was rather vague and uninformative," he drawled in response.

That eerie but lovely red gaze settled fully on him. "It was meant to be."

Cid snorted as he crossed his arms over his chest. He didn't understand it at first, until he had realized he was only a little angry with Vincent.

"Did you at least find what you were looking for?"

Perhaps it was because he believed Vincent had gone to see Lucrecia, or maybe it was because he had been made to think that he would never see the gunman again, even if it was for just a moment.

It was the Vincent's turn to shrug. "In a way…" He exhaled loudly, eyes turning contemplative.

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"I missed you," Cid said finally. He stared at the floor, unable to meet the other man's gaze.

The gunman sighed. "It was something I had to do and something that had to be done alone." He looked away, anywhere but at Cid, and he finally added in a voice just as quiet as the pilot's had been, "You were never far from my thoughts."

"You didn't have to," the Captain said slowly. When Vincent looked at him in confusion the pilot struggled to find the words to explain himself, but he found that they escaped him and tried another tactic.

"There's no need in responding just because. I mean, pretending is not your style…" he trailed off, words still making no sense.

Vincent pushed himself up off the door panel and moved towards the blond, crossing the distance quickly to pull Cid into a tight embrace. The Captain reacted instantly, wrapping his arms around the ex-Turk and leaning his head on Vincent's shoulder.

The gunman pulled the blond in tightly as he could with his clawed hand, while his flesh one reached around to angle Cid's face towards his own. Within moments, their lips were locked in a passionate union, all of their feelings pushed into that one movement. Vincent had every intention of showing the other man that he wasn't pretending, that what they had was something special and worth being treasured.

In the bridge, six friends heaved a sigh of "Aw!"

"That is so sweet!" Aeris gushed, unable to help herself. Her hands clasped together as she shared a warm smile with her promised.

"I knew it, even from the beginning," Nanaki commented.

Yuffie was smug. "I told you he'd be back," the little ninja remarked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

The demi-human ruffled her hair affectionately, and they continued to watch what was on screen.

Cid reached up and buried a hand in Vincent's hair, pulling the gunman's head down towards him and deepening the kiss. They exchanged tongues for a moment, taking comfort in the familiar taste of each other, before the ex-Turk gave a gentle nip to the Captain's lower lip. He pulled back and looked Cid in the eye.

"I would never pretend with you," he said softly. "Everything is genuine."

Cid smiled. "Vince, there is something I've been meaning to say to you."

The gunman shushed him, putting a finger to his lips softly. "Do it afterwards, when all is said and done. Then, I can say what I want to say as well."

The pilot sighed but nodded slowly. Suddenly, his face took on a mischievous tint as his tongue snaked out of his mouth and pulled in the shushing finger. He sucked gently on the digit and ran his tongue over the sensitive pads.

As much as Vincent wanted to take him up on the offer, he knew he couldn't. He fought down the rising desires and ever so slowly pulled his finger free.

He exhaled slowly as his eyes again locked with the pilot. "As much as I would love to do just that, we simply do not have the luxury of circumstance."

Cid pulled away slowly, extricating himself from the other man's embrace. He seemed only the slightest bit downcast.

"Yeah, I know. We gotta take down that Sephiroth bastard and save the planet!"

Vincent seemed to flinch at his words but didn't say anything to indicate he was upset. He nodded slowly.

"You go ahead to the cockpit; I will join you in a moment."

The pilot agreed. He moved as if to leave, but suddenly, Cid changed his mind. He darted back to Vincent and enveloped him in another passionate kiss before pulling away and heading swiftly towards the stairs.

The ex-Turk didn't even try to restrain the smile that had broken out on his face.

When Cid returned to the bridge, he found everyone milling about in random areas of the room, conversing quietly amongst themselves. He eyed them suspiciously, noting the looks that Yuffie was giving him. Yet, no one offered up a word, and he made his way to the control panel. The pilot assumed that they believed he was broken up over Vincent's absence. He cracked a sly smirk at that. Little did they know, but the gunman was already back.

He stood at the control panel and looked over at the mechanics for his baby. Finally, he would able to pilot his own airship rather than rely on the crew. He had sent them home, told them that this battle was not theirs to fight. He cracked his knuckles and sighed happily as he contemplated which button it was exactly he needed to press.

There was a chorus of startled gasps, and all eyes turned towards the entrance to the bridge. Cid kept from turning around lest they see the big grin he had plastered over his face.

"Vinny!" Yuffie exclaimed. "You came back!"

He quirked an eyebrow. "You didn't want me to?"

"What Yuffie is trying to say," Nanaki intervened smoothly as he approached the gunman, "is welcome back."

Vincent waved a hand dismissively. "I am sure you all feel the same." The sarcasm in his voice was most evident as his gaze slid only briefly to their spiky-haired leader. If Barret were there, he would have looked at him as well.

An uncomfortable silence settled over everyone.

Cid, having finally regained his composure and his stoic face, moved to the group. He peered over everyone's head as best he could and snorted loudly.

"Ya don't have to be rude. We're all supposed to be friends here, ain't we?" He crossed his arms over his chest and stared pointedly at his lover. Their eyes locked for a moment and something passed between them.

"Well," Reeve added thoughtfully, nodding his head. "Vincent _has_ a point."

Outside of himself, the gunman received some of the most disdain throughout their entire journey. Tensions never fully went away, and Reeve was certain that on some level, Barret still despised him, even if they had appeared to make amends.

Cloud broke free and walked up to the gunman. He stood in front of the other man thoughtfully before sticking out a hand, and Vincent regarded him contemplatively, finally taking it with his own. The two shook his hands.

"You are as much a part of this group as anyone here," Cloud admitted, a strange gleam in his eyes. "And I trust you."

For the two, this was a major step. The conflicting powers had finally laid down their weapons and joined forces. Finally, it seemed, all animosity had faded like dust in the wind.

"I suppose, I'll take that as an apology then," Vincent intoned in return. He had the slightest of smiles on his face.

With that, they were at last a united front. Nothing could stop them now.

"Great," Reno teased, a grin lighting up his face. "Now that the soap opera is over, how about we go save the world?"

The blond released Vincent's hands and turned back to face his group. "Alright. This is it. The final battle. Captain Highwind, if you'd do the honors." He gestured towards the pilot.

Cid rubbed his hands together and almost sprinted towards the control panel. It was time to see what his baby was capable of.

"I hope you don't mind, but there's a button I've been dying to try," he called back, a note of glee in his voice.

Uneasiness settled in the former executive's gut. "Uh, Cid," Reeve began. "I don't think you should--"

Too late.

Cid's gloved finger came down and pressed the shining blue button. The airship gave a great shudder and shook violently as it rose in the air. Everyone fought for something to grab a hold of, which ended up consisting of each other.

On the outside, parts fell away from the Highwind to reveal two blasters that were superiorly faster than what had been there before. The airship's speed had just gone up by several notches, and with a jolt, the Highwind took to the sky, soaring faster than it ever had before.

Cid could hardly contain the glee on his face as he steered her through the air.

Yuffie clapped a hand over her face and went running from the bridge, her airsickness taking over. Nanaki chased after her, a worried expression on his face.

The grin on Cid's face was wide enough to split mountains. "Damn ShinRa for messing with her design, but fuck if they didn't do a good job," he announced loudly.

"Captain!!" A chorus of voices greeted the blond as he was suddenly swept away from the helm by his crew. No one had even seen them approach, almost as if they had appeared out of thin air.

"Hey, wait a minute!" he argued as they pulled him aside. "I told you all to go home!" Cid resisted the urge to pout as the wheel got further and further from his grasp.

The newbie pilot planted himself in front of the helm, placing his hands on the wheel. "We're with you to the end, Captain!" he exclaimed, proud to make his stand.

"Ahhh," the Captain argued. He had wanted to steer his own damn airship, and so, he started resisting their hold on him. "You'll have to hold me down then. Give it all you got!"

And with that, the Highwind went speeding off towards the Northern Crater and the members of AVALANCHE prepared to fight their greatest foe.

Sephiroth.


	39. Shadow Flare

**Chapter Thirty-Nine: Shadow Flare**

The airship landed on the outskirts of the crater with a heavy thump, managing to dislodge a few random boulders and sending them skittering downwards into the abyss. A crewmember lowered a rope ladder from the deck since it was more convenient than trying to exit through the cargo bay.

AVALANCHE gathered at the lip of the crater, looking down into the dark depths. At the bottom, they could see the greenish glow of the mako pool that had gathered there, and though they couldn't see him, they assumed that Sephiroth rested somewhere beyond, just patiently waiting.

Unconsciously, they checked their equipment and materia.

Cid looked up from Jade Tiger to find that Vincent had pulled Cloud over to the side. They appeared to be discussing something important, and he was insanely curious as to what, especially since the former Turk hadn't mention he was going to talk to their leader.

Shrugging and filing away the information for later use, Cid tore his gaze away from them and concentrated on making sure his stock of ethers and potions was just enough. He could not be too careful when it concerned a battle of this magnitude.

Moments later, Cloud and Vincent rejoined the group, their eyes falling on the depths beneath them. No one seemed too eager to get started. The aura of power and danger that radiated from the crater was making them all uneasy.

Reno swallowed noisily and then stepped back. "After you, yo," he said, gesturing towards Cloud.

Mako eyes rolled as Cloud reached behind him for the Ultima Weapon, drawing his new sword smoothly. He raked his gaze over those surrounding him, mentally configuring a strategy. Not that he had any real knowledge in such matters, but they worked with what they had. They were counting on him, after all.

"I'll take Nanaki and Cid and head out first. The rest of you can follow after us in another group."

"Sounds good to me." The pilot shrugged. He hefted the Venus Gospel over his shoulders and stuck a cigarette in his mouth, though he didn't light it.

Cloud nodded. "Let's head out."

Three levels down and several battles later, they found themselves gathered together once again, facing an impasse. Two paths stood before them, splitting in completely opposite directions. It made them question whether or not Fate and Luck were on their side.

Yuffie tilted her head to the side, wrinkling her nose. "Should we split up?" she asked hesitantly, craning her neck to look down both trails. The left appeared to require a hell of a lot more climbing, and the right appeared foreboding, a wet breeze briefly coming from its dark depths.

Cloud shifted uncomfortably and glanced from one path to the other. Neither seemed more promising, and really, he couldn't just choose one and waste valuable time and energy in the process. He exhaled with much annoyance before looking to Reno and Vincent for help. They were the only two he suspected knew anything about tactical military maneuvers.

"Sephiroth probably already knows we are here, yo," the Turk offered. "We should split up. Save time and stuff."

Vincent frowned, though it was barely visible behind the cloak. "That would mean separating our strength," he mused aloud.

A gloved hand rubbed at Cloud's chin. "You don't think we are strong enough to handle being divided?" he asked, a note of tension to his voice.

The gunman shook his head. "No, but what happens if only one path leads to Sephiroth. Then, one team will be forced to face him at only half power?" he explained logically.

Reno scrubbed a hand through his hair. "If we spend too much time running around this crater like a bunch of idiots just trying to find him, Meteor will crash before we even get a chance to face Sephiroth in battle," he put in, also making a valid point.

Cloud bit back a sigh. They were only going to go in circles if they kept putting forth their own points.

"What would you suggest then?"

The two Turks exchanged a glance, but it was Vincent who nodded.

"Divide us," the gunman answered. "It will be hard, but it is the best option."

The ex-SOLDIER groaned and crossed his arms, thinking deeply. The leader of the other team was an easy choice for him. He would go to the left, and he would have Vincent lead the others to the right. Cid had already expressed his intentions to never be leader again, so he wasn't going to force it on the pilot. And while Reeve could probably handle it, he tended to buckle somewhat under the pressure.

Cloud wasn't even going to consider Yuffie or Reno, even if the Turk was second-in-command to Tseng. Frankly, he worried about the Wutaiian's judgment on any matter, and despite his strength, Nanaki had little to no experience in leading anyone. Aeris, of course, much preferred to be a follower.

The hardest part would be dividing their strengths equally, and his gaze shifted to the two paths for a moment as he considered.

Yuffie would head to the right, he decided. It seemed to require a good deal of climbing and stamina, and of them all, Yuffie was probably the most agile. Also, her accuracy with the shuriken would be an excellent addition, the long-range a good compliment to his swordsmanship.

He eyed Reeve and decided that it would be best if the man went with Vincent. Cloud wasn't sure if Reeve was really built for climbing. Besides, he was probably the best out of all of them for throwing out magic, and he always seemed to know what was useful and what wouldn't have an effect without much difficulty. In addition, Reeve and Vincent got along well.

Nanaki would also go with the former Turk. Cloud wasn't ashamed to admit it, ever since the demi-human had changed into his new form, he had probably become the most powerful member of their team. Physically, Nanaki could take them all down. Further, Cloud knew that since Vincent was not going to use his limit breaks at all, he would need the demi-human's help. The gunman feared he wouldn't be able to control them, and if something happened, Cloud trusted that Nanaki would know what to do.

And as much as he hated it, Aeris would have to go with Vincent as well. There was no way she could climb up a cliff in that dress, not to mention lug that long ass staff with her. She would balance out their team well, providing healing that would help keep the ex-Turk away from limit break range.

Cid would come with Cloud's team. His dynamite would be a good weapon if they were attacked while climbing, and the pilot was a solid fighter. He would need the other blond to help control the energetic ninja as well since he was sending Reeve along with Vincent.

Last but not least, Reno would also join their merry band, completing the foursome. He carried some of the more unusual magics, which would come in handy. Of course, he was also one of the more agile and craftier members of their group, despite being a recent addition.

With that settled, going back over the set-up in his mind, Cloud suddenly blanched at a realization. He had inadvertently split up every couple in the group. It had been completely unintentional, and yet, when he considered it, also inevitable. It gave a whole new meaning to the phrase "opposites attract."

He nodded slowly. "Alright, we'll split up," he announced, sweeping his mako eyes over everyone. "I'll take Yuffie, Reno, and Cid, and we will follow the left path. Vincent, I'm counting on you to lead the others."

Crimson eyes widened with a subtle hint of surprise. He hadn't expected Cloud to trust him that much or even the others, for that matter. It seemed things really had changed among their group.

He blinked. "I will make sure they come to no harm," Vincent responded, knowing that it was the best vow he could make.

Cloud seemed pleased with it, however.

Reno's gaze shifted to his lover. "Then, there's nothing left to do except go, yo," he said uncomfortably. He didn't really like seeing Reeve beyond his protection, but the redhead knew that his lover would have had a fit if he had even thought to protest.

Besides, Cloud was right. It was the perfect formation for the circumstances, which surprised Reno. He didn't think Cloud knew anything about what he was doing.

It wasn't the time or place for heartfelt goodbyes, even if some felt they wanted to give them. Vincent took his team to the right. Cloud walked off with his to the left.

All that remained at the crossroads were the echoes of their presence.

---

"Somehow, I have a bad feeling about this," Yuffie grumbled as she searched for another hand hold. The ninja clung tightly to the side of the cliff as they slowly made their way down the spiraling rock of the crater. Her fingers were aching, and her calves hurt, but she wasn't complaining about it that much.

Ahead of her, Reno rolled his eyes. "About what?"

He had taken the lead, determined to map out the easiest route and handholds. Of course, that was only to find the task more daunting than he had originally assumed.

"Where to start in the list of things that I can't stop feeling uneasy about?" she said, sounding dangerously close to a whine. "Hmm, us climbing down a huge cliff for one. Half our party gone in another direction for two. Sephiroth still unaccounted for three. I could go on and on." She shook her head and tightened her grip on the hand hold, inching her feet down a bit more.

A rock skittered beneath her, clacking loudly on its way down.

It had been that way for over two hours. They were getting nearer to the bottom, and the ninja was more than glad to see that it would be smooth hiking from there.

Great.

"You could," Cloud huffed from just above and to her left. "But I would prefer it if you didn't."

His stamina was greater than the others, but even he was having trouble simply clinging to the side of a rock face. Yuffie's complaints were only making the situation worse, and he feared he might lose his cool and knock her off, just to see if she would make as much noise as all the rocks she kept knocking down.

A keening bestial cry echoed around them.

"Gargoyle at three o' clock, yo!" Reno drawled, his ears picking up the sounds of the beating of rock-like wings.

They craned their necks to find the bluish-green creature heading their way, mouth open and hungry for their blood.

Cid smirked. "I got this!"

Moments later, a piece of lit dynamite flew out of nowhere and smacked the gargoyle in the face. A look of stunned stupidity filled its bestial features.

"Ice 3!" Cloud hissed, letting go of the cliff for only a moment to cast the spell.

Instantly, the monster was encased in a block of ice, effectively trapping the dynamite inside.

The gargoyle icicle hung for all of an instant before it rapidly pelted to the ground, only to land with unerring accuracy. It shattered, exploding into a half-dozen icy shards. And that was only to be followed by the detonation the dynamite, rendering it a problem no more.

"Gee," Yuffie remarked gamely with a bit of sarcasm to her tone. "I wonder if the others are having as much fun as we are."

Cid rolled his eyes. "Oh, shut up," he snarled in return.

He had volunteered to go last, figuring if he fell the only person he would injure would be himself. Then again, the plan was flawed since it was likely he would take out Yuffie on his way down.

Hmm… decisions, decisions.

Ahead of them, Reno exclaimed loudly, "Hey, hey. Look what I found!"

"What is it?" Cloud inquired tiredly.

The Turk cocked his head to the side, rolling the item around in his hands. "It's called the Mystile. Not really that powerful compared to what I got equipped, yo."

Yuffie shrugged. "Keep it anyways. It might come in handy."

She shifted her weight, reaching for another handhold and managing to transfer to it easily. The girl couldn't help but wonder if the others had it any easier, not that she was lazy or anything, but compared to materia hunting, this wasn't much fun.

"Dammit!" Cid cursed fluidly. "You, down in front! How much longer?"

Reno frowned, twisting his head to look below him. He blinked when he realized that he wasn't far from solid ground. He could climb the rest of the way or take a faster approach. Shrugging, he smirked before simply dropping down, and Reno landed hard and rolled on his shoulder, coming to a stop before rising to his feet. He dusted some of the dirt from his suit but appeared otherwise uninjured.

"Just a stop, drop, and roll away, yo!"

"Damn! He just jumped right off the freakin' cliff," Yuffie exclaimed, her jaw dropping in awe.

Cloud snorted. "Little girls shouldn't curse," he admonished.

She rolled her eyes.

Cloud trying to be a father figure was amusing at best.

Eying her distance to the ground, she decided to see if she could outdo Reno. Taking a deep breath, the lithe ninja jumped off the side of the cliff and came to graceful landing next to the redhead, bending her knees slightly to absorb the shock. She smirked at him.

"I'm not a little girl."

Reno simply shook his head. She was a cheeky little thing, not much different from him when he was younger.

The two waited for the others to finish their descent, the Turk making sure to keep a special eye on the ninja's sticky hands. He had been a thief once, after all; he knew what to look for.

Less than five minutes later, all four members of their party were standing at the base of the spiral cliff, panting quietly at the exertion.

"Yuffie," Cloud began, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. "Give me a five by five."

In laymen's terms, it basically involved both Haste and Shadow magic. It was a scouting technique that the two of them had been working on ever since Yuffie joined their party. Since she wouldn't give up her Shadow materia, he relied on her.

The Wutaiian nodded and reached into her pocket where she kept her special materia, like the Shadow one. She wasn't sure where she had picked it up or from whom, but it was one of her favorites. And it was rare as well, so she didn't like anyone else using it.

People were so untrustworthy these days; they would just walk off with someone else's materia.

Nonetheless, it wasn't in her front or back pockets… or attached to her armlet or even in her Conformer.

"Umm," she began slowly as she quickly did another search, patting her pockets fruitlessly.

Cid shot her an odd look. "Uh… what?" he demanded.

Brown eyes blinked, genuinely surprised. "I can't find it," she admitted, a faint blush staining her cheeks. "It's gone."

Beside her, Reno chuckled as he unfolded his arms and suddenly handed her the little, green ball. "Seems like the little thief can't handle being thieved, yo."

She snatched it from his hand. "How did you…?"

The Turk continued to chuckle as the others joined in. "At the same time I retrieved the Carbuncle that Reeve had given me from your pocket," he replied knowingly, waving a hand at her to show the shiny, red materia in between two of his fingers.

She gaped him, simply unable to comprehend that someone else had faster hands.

"Don't sweat it, kid." Reno laughed, reaching out and ruffling her hair, just like she were a child. "I was doing this before you were born, yo."

Cid laughed before waving his hand at her. "Got what was coming to you, brat. Now, go do the five by five."

Yuffie blinked, still in awe. A second later, she promptly disappeared as the Shadow cast took form.

Ten seconds later, she returned, not even out of breath. "There is a small cave up ahead. It leads to a set of stairs that look like a spine. It's going to be a rough road. But at the bottom, I caught a mako glow."

Cloud inclined his head thoughtfully, already reaching to draw his sword since he had been forced to sheathe it earlier.

"No point in hanging around here. We should get going. For all, we know the others could have already found Sephiroth," the Captain grumbled as he unconsciously reached up to his goggles and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it almost immediately. He didn't admit it aloud, but he was worried about Vincent.

In fact, all of them were worried about the others but didn't voice it aloud. That would imply that they didn't think the other group was capable of taking care of themselves.

"Oh, by the way," the ninja added, somewhat belatedly as they started down the path. "I found this." She dug into her pocket, pulling out a silverish armlet and handing it over to Cloud.

He took it with a raised eyebrow. Obviously, he didn't know what it was either.

"It's a Tetra Elemental," Reno filled in, recognizing the intricate runes on the outside from a book Reeve had. "Supposedly, the only way to get one of these is to morph a Cactuar, but it hasn't even been proven that they exist, yo."

"What's it do?" Cloud frowned. He had never even heard of it before.

The Turk tapped his chin with one finger as he struggled to remember. "It absorbs all Fire, Ice, Thunder, and Earth magic and turns them into healing, yo," Reno answered finally.

"Do you need it?"

Reno shook his head. "Naw, give it to Highwind. I've got a ribbon. I'd rather have that."

"I don't need it either," responded Cid, suddenly joining them from where he had been rear guard. "Nanaki loaned me his Reflect Ring."

"We are equipped to the gills," Cloud sighed.

He flipped the accessory in his hand and then tossed it back to Yuffie. He knew she carried nothing more powerful than the Water Bracelet. At least, this would provide even more protection.

"You can keep it."

She grinned and clipped the band around her upper arm.

Just then, a chill wind swept through an area where there should have been none, ironically causing them to halt just before they stepped into the tunnel that Yuffie had found. A dark shadow passed over them.

"Get down idiot!"

Cid crashed into Cloud, shoving the younger blond to the ground moments before a huge form swept over them. It narrowly missed taking off Cloud's head, actually removing the tips of his tallest spikes. Its passing kicked up a huge breath of dust, which immediately filled the air.

"What the fuck!" Cid exclaimed, rolling to his feet as he laid eyes on their attacker.

There, blocking the entrance to the cave with the spiral stairs, was the ugliest monster he had ever seen. It had multiple limbs and a skeletal build, vaguely resembling a decayed dragon. The creature keened noisily and stamped its feet, the vague smell of death and decomposition wafting their way.

Reno pulled himself to his feet and immediately cast Sense, already hitting the button to charge his Electro Rod. "Dragon Zombie," he called out. "And it's got Shadow Flare." The Turk blanched visibly, remembering all too well the effects of that particular magic. "And something else, too. Pandora's box. I don't know what that is, yo."

"We'll have to take it down," Cloud announced, shaking dust from his blond spikes. The look on his face was grim.

Cid and Yuffie quickly flanked him, and moments later, the Dragon Zombie attacked.

With a keening and echoing cry of pain and loss, the monster started forward. Two of its skeletal forelimbs reached for the ninja as it prepared its first magical attack.

"I hate fighting the &!#$ undead!" Cid cursed, moving to intercept with his spear, while Yuffie nimbly danced out of the way.

A massive ball of fire roared towards the monster, courtesy of Cloud, and engulfed the head in a mass of flames.

With a roar, the zombie lashed out both violently and blindly.

One wing caught Cloud in the chest, while he was avoiding a forelimb, and he crashed backwards into a wall. Cid lopped off one of the limbs he had countered and hurriedly threw a Protect around himself before another of the creature's many appendages slammed into his barrier. Yuffie had leapt to a higher position and threw her Conformer, lopping off one of the zombie's decaying wings.

Reno did what anyone would do in such a situation. He summoned.

"Ruby light!"

A small hole appeared in the floor, and Carbuncle popped out his furry head. He leapt out with a back flip and hovered in the air, facing the party. He bubbled merrily as the ruby on his forehead glowed with a brilliant light, shining down on their group. Each member was embraced by a reflective and magical barrier, as well as imbued with Regen.

And not a moment too soon.

Seconds later, the dreaded Shadow Flare was cast. The world burst into a spiral of black and white.

They screamed, feeling like their bodies were being pulled in a million different directions at once, even as their worst fears were being brought to life in their own minds. Reflect could protect against the physical damage of the spell… but not from the feelings and not from the mental anguish it caused.

Reno gasped, hands coming to his head as all the nightmares that were far too real from his youth assailed him. They needed help; they needed _something_.

And then a word, a name, thought long forgotten but rising uncalled flitted through his mind along with a subtle push.

'Call me!'

"Asclepius! Help!" The name burbled past his lips, in spite of not knowing the origin.

In that moment, Carbuncle whirled away from his hole and gave a feral growl, which still managed to be cute on the little summon.

His ear twitched, and he launched himself at the Dragon Zombie, effectively disturbing the creature's concentration. Carbuncle was not a physical summon, but for the moment, he found himself trying to protect his humans more fiercely than usual.

Gasping, the friends were released from the spell. However, their heads were spinning, and they felt the distinct urge to vomit.

They had no time for rest, nevertheless.

The summon was no match against the undead monster. Although Carbuncle was strong, his powers were still more suited to protection, not physical attacks. The zombie had already managed to cut up Carbuncle with one of its many limbs and currently had a deathlike vise on the summon's neck with its rotting and jagged teeth.

Reno growled angrily, grabbing his dropped Electro Rod from the ground and rushing angrily at the Dragon Zombie. He dimly heard Cid's footsteps beside him as the pilot joined in the attack, and the Turk launched himself at the enemy, thrusting the electrically-charged stick into the fleshy core of the beast's flank.

Dragon Zombie howled and released Carbuncle. The summon tore himself free and pulled away, breathing heavily as blood coursed down his soft, green fur.

Cid slashed into the zombie with fervor, revenge for the images that had risen unwanted in his mind. He didn't want to be reminded of such things. They were no longer important!

"Meteor Rain!"

Above the Captain, Cloud let loose his limit, leaping high into the air above the creature. He whipped his sword around him, as if it were light as a feather.

Reno and Cid wisely backed away as large hunks of rocks appeared out of nowhere, pummeling the decaying skeleton. The zombie groaned and faltered but did not go down. It swept out with one of its forelimbs and grabbed Cid when Reno ducked out of the way.

The Turk crashed to the ground and felt his arm jar painfully beneath him at the same moment he felt a harsh snap. He heard Carbuncle give a small whine and looked up to see the little summon standing over him protectively.

Yuffie rushed to his side, a Cure already on her lips and worry in her eyes.

Reno smiled when he felt the gentle nuzzle of the summon and reached out to run an uninjured hand through the soft fur. Carbuncle keened musically at the touch, ignoring his own wounds. Garnet eyes gleamed with both worry and happiness, a strange contradiction.

"It's okay, yo," muttered Reno softly. "We can take it from here."

Carbuncle nodded and bounded away, doing another backflip before disappearing. The hole immediately sealed up behind him.

Brown eyes blinked. "Weird," Yuffie commented.

Cid's growling curses suddenly caught their attention, and they immediately looked towards the battle.

"Fuckin' dead ass! Put me the fuck down, #&$!" His arms were trapped uselessly at his sides as he twisted in the creature's grip, legs dangling beneath him. "Cloud, you lazy ass, get over here and help me!"

"Just fix my arm, Yuffie," Reno growled, feeling the subtle shift of a joint that had been knocked out of socket. It hurt like a bitch.

The ninja gulped openly. "Huh? I don't know how to do that!"

"I can't do it myself, yo!" Reno teased and, when she gaped at him, he sighed. "Look, just take my arm and pull real quick and hard. It will slip back into the socket if you do that, yo. You can't cast the Cure until you do it."

Yuffie nodded slowly and took hold of his left arm, swallowing thickly. He fought back the gasp of pain so that he wouldn't frighten her off. Nodding at her, the Turk gestured that she continue, and taking a deep breath, the ninja did as he asked, cringing when she heard the sound of the snap. Reno winced but remained stoic as the bone slipped back into place.

He took in a deep breath. "Okay, now's a good time for that Cure." He smiled when he felt the cooling essence of the spell pass through his body, and the pain dissipated.

"Let's see if we can give the old man a hand, ne?" The little ninja stuck out her hand to the Turk.

To their left, Cid slammed into the ground, the talons of the monster still locked around him as Cloud's sword cleaved through the foreleg of the zombie. He cursed and spat, wriggling in the monster's severed grip, hating how he was only able to watch as Cloud and Yuffie faced the Dragon Zombie. Luckily, however, Reno was already heading his way.

The redhead dropped to his knees beside Cid, jabbing the butt end of his Electro Rod into the zombie's talons. "We need fuckin' Alexander," he cursed.

"Right," Cid grumbled. "And wouldn't you know the selfish bastard took all the good magic-users with him."

No sooner had the words left his lips when Cloud suddenly went flying past them. He careened into the air after intercepting a strike from the creature's tail, an appendage they hadn't even realized the Dragon Zombie could utilize. The ex-SOLDIER hit the ground hard, grunting as blood streamed from a gash in his chest.

Cloud struggled to his feet, wobbling as his mako eyes widened in surprise. The Dragon Zombie was already preparing another spell.

"Cid! Ifrit! Hurry! Before it finishes the spell," he panted.

"Got it!" Cid jerked to his feet, finally free from the talons. "Hellfire!"

The ground rumbled, nearly causing them all to topple over as Ifrit exploded from beneath in a translucent blaze, and his roars were loud enough to make their heads spin. The fire began to slowly disperse around him as he surveyed the scene, at once spying the Dragon Zombie. With flame dripping from his mouth, the demon grinned wickedly as flames erupted around its body once more.

Ifrit hurled himself at the monster, crashing into it with the force of a train and the blistering heat of an inferno. Almost immediately, the creature was alight, its skin burning with a disgusting odor; the Zombie keened in pain.

The summon slammed his fist into the zombie's face, another fanged smirk spreading across his lips as a sickening crunch echoed. Satisfied, Ifrit disappeared in another flash of fire, going back to whatever dimension he had emerged from.

"Quick, Yuffie, an Ultima. Finish it off!" Cloud's order rang across the battlefield, even as his face twisted in pain. One hand had gone to the wound on his chest, the edges already turning a tainted green… poison. Yet, he had nothing to disperse the venom and it would do him no good to cast a cure without an antidote.

Almost immediately, a ball of green flame appeared in Yuffie's hand, growing bigger as it coalesced into something nearly solid. She threw it at the monster, watching as it soaked up energy and grew so large that it lit up the entire cavern. Instantly, fireball engulfed the Dragon Zombie in its eerie, green flame.

Yuffie smirked triumphantly.

It was then that Reno noticed Cloud slumping to the ground. The blond barely remained upright, clinging to the hilt of his sword.

"Cid! Antidote!" the redhead called out as he reached into his pockets and pulled out a X-potion.

The hairs on the back of their necks rose when the pained cries of the beast turned to garbled, scratchy laughter. Cid handed the antidote to Cloud before whirling around, discovering the flame cast by Ifrit had somehow been combined with the Ultima spell. Further, the Dragon Zombie was absorbing the energy as if it were a life-giving spell.

With a cry of delight, the zombie moved all too quickly and snatched Yuffie off the ground before the ninja could even dodge. She screamed at the burning touch, the fire searing through her skin and causing it to blister and bubble. The battle with Scorpios flashed through her mind. Only this time, Nanaki was not there to save her.

"Put her down!" Cid snarled, snatching up the Venus Gospel and darting towards the beast.

Yuffie's screams echoed around them, and the monster howled sadistically. It pointed one of its few remaining limbs at Cid, and a stream of greenish fire shot out, engulfing the pilot. The reflect cast earlier was ineffective, and Cid's entire body was now wrapped in a blazing cocoon. He couldn't even breathe, his screams lodging in his throat.

It was then that the Dragon Zombie played its final number.

Pandora's Box.

A shadow seemed to engulf the group, drawing them into a frightening abyss, and there seemed to be no escape. All sense of time and place disappeared into nothingness, and the battle was all but lost.

Unexpectedly, a watery light began to coalesce out of nowhere, drawing everyone's attention. Leviathan burst from the blue bubble, despite having not been summoned, and roared angrily. A huge tidal wave appeared from nowhere as he curled himself protectively around Yuffie, effectively dousing her flames and pulling her from the deadly grip of the Dragon Zombie.

The massive summon lunged at the monster with the upper half of his body and snapped up the beast with his massive jaws. In one hearty gulp, he had swallowed the abomination, putting out the rest of the Ultima Fire with a wave of his majestic head.

The battle had been won.

Yuffie was curled in the embrace of the sea god's smooth, blue, and scaly skin. She awoke when she felt the gentle tingle of being healed, and the ninja opened her eyes only to find herself staring into the ageless face of a real dragon.

"Levy…" she breathed softly.

He nudged her face delicately with one of his flippers and laid her gently on the ground. The serpent then disappeared in a flood of bluish sparkles and bubbles.

"Damn! How did you even concentrate enough to call for Leviathan?" Cloud asked as he moved to Yuffie's side, kneeling next to the girl.

She shook her head, still dazed by the events. "I hadn't," Yuffie responded in a dreamy voice. "I don't think that was Levy. It was more like Barinthus, a god we used to worship centuries ago in Wutai."

Nearby, Reno was applying a small Cure to Cid's burned skin. While Leviathan had healed Yuffie, he had left the others to their own devices.

"I wonder if the others are havin' as much fun as us, yo," the redhead commented flippantly.

Cloud's face was grim. "I hope not," he muttered, wincing as he shifted his weight, pulling at the healing wound on his chest. "Don't make me worry any more than I have to." He wasn't sure if they could have handled something like the Dragon Zombie, and he only hoped that they didn't have to.

Reno, normally a man who was rarely without a smile or smirk, was equally dour. He worried for the others as well. The Dragon Zombie had been a powerful piece of shit, and he couldn't help the urge to run after Reeve and save him from every peril his mind was now conjuring.

But that was only until he felt a heavy hand clamp down on his shoulder.

The Turk was startled out of his reverie, blinking to find sky blue eyes regarding him intently.

"They're fine," Cid assured him, despite his own worry. "Vince is brilliant, Nanaki is the strongest of us all, Aeris can be a righteous bitch when she's angry, and Reeve can throw magic faster than anyone I know."

"I think I have a Knight-in-Shining-Armor complex, yo." Reno sighed, scraping a hand through his hair and making a face when it came away with spatters of blood.

Cid chuckled as he shook his head. "The both of you do. It's in your nature."

He shrugged, eyes flickering to the darkened patch of ground and faintly twitching limbs that were all that remained of the Dragon Zombie.

"But relax; they probably would have had this monster defeated in five seconds flat while we struggled. They're better off than we are."

At least, that was what they hoped.


	40. Everyone's Grudge

'This is a voice in the mind.'

'_This is an internal thought._'

--This is Chaos speaking. --

**Chapter Forty: Everyone's Grudge**

"Figures." Nanaki snorted as they surveyed the area. Not but twenty minutes after leaving their friends, they had come upon another impasse.

Crimson eyes glared at the annoyance. "We are not splitting up further," Vincent intoned. He couldn't help but wonder why was he so lucky as to get the difficult trail?

Two different paths stood before them, and both looked equally annoying and complicated.

Reeve frowned. "I say we take that one on the bottom," he suggested, pointing a finger towards the slightly lighter and less intimidating of the two, at least in his opinion.

Golden eyes blinked. "Why?" Nanaki questioned. Both looked the same to him, shadowed and unapproachable.

"A guess?" The ex-executive shrugged.

Aeris sighed and rolled her eyes at the three males. "Let me give it a guess, if that's what we're going to go on." She moved forward and stood between the two choices, as if listening intently.

A wind stirred as silence fell, and they watched her with confused expressions.

Finally, she nodded. "We should follow with Reeve's advice."

Vincent blinked. "How do you know that?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"The ebb of the Lifestream is stronger from that one. Obviously, that way is much shorter," she replied smartly, giving him one of her unfailingly nice grins.

Nanaki shrugged. "It works for me." He tightened the claw on his hand and headed for the cavern opening.

The three others followed close behind them, Vincent taking the rear guard, but right before the ex-Turk stepped through the tunnel, he heard a squeak and the sound of something rattling. Whirling rapidly, his crimson gaze scanned the darkened area, but he could detect nothing. Though his ears remained alert, he did not catch the odd noises again. His hand rested comfortably on the handle of the Death Penalty as he turned back around and continued forward.

They emerged into a cool cavern that led steadily downwards. Occasionally, they were forced to jump down to levels below them, but there was no climbing involved, for which each member was grateful.

Most of the monsters in this particular part of the crater were hardly anything worth dealing with. The Gighee didn't stand a chance against repeated assaults of Tornado from Reeve's Contain materia. Nanaki easily handled the Christophers that dared attack their party, and Vincent took out the random Allemanges from afar. Aeris did an excellent job making sure that none of them suffered too much from what few attacks managed to sneak through their defenses.

After making their way through the damp and dark caves, the group finally found themselves in a large, more open cavern with a greenish waterfall. They thought that it was mako at first, but on second inspection, the group found it was just algae-tainted water.

They continued on, following a path that twisted and turned as it headed downwards into a darkness that none of them could pierce. They had been mostly silent, not really willing to carry on a conversation. Most of their hearts were filled with worry, and Vincent knew that they dreaded the battle that was to come.

Nanaki had taken the lead, easily jumping down with his agile limbs. Aeris was following along behind him, relying on her staff to keep her balance. It had become more of walking stick than a weapon in the past few hours.

As Reeve moved to follow them onto the next level of the dark grey stone, Vincent froze in his tracks. He heard that sound again. A shrill whine accompanied by the rattling of glass and metal. Only this time, it was followed by the sound of shuffling feet.

Whirling, he pulled the Death Penalty in one smooth motion and scanned the area behind him. His eyes widened in surprise.

There were three Master Tonberrys behind him, all staring with soulless blank eyes, blood dripping from well-used blades. Apparently, the creatures had been trailing the group for some time and were only waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The former Turk knew that they were usually silent monsters, so they must have _planned_ on being caught.

Without thinking, Vincent shot at one of them, using it as a signal to the others. It struck the one on the left, but those inexpressive eyes merely looked at him, as if the creature could feel no pain.

"We are under attack!" he called out in case they hadn't taken his gunshot as the warning it was.

Vincent cursed as he cocked the Death Penalty again, preparing to cast a spell. He racked his brains trying to remember what could be used against a Tonberry.

They were vicious, ruthless creatures, which lived only to kill. They loved the sight and smell of blood and would often kill with a single stroke of their blades.

He heard the scrabbling of feet behind him, and it was a momentary comfort. At least, he wouldn't be in this alone.

The creature in the middle took a step towards them and raised its knife menacingly. Its lantern glowed eerily in the dark, cold cave.

"Damn!" Reeve cursed behind him.

"What is it?" Unwilling to take his eyes off of the monsters in front of him, Vincent slowly backed away, edging closer to the other man.

Reeve's feet scraped across the ground. "There are two huge Marlboros approaching from behind," he answered quietly.

Nanaki narrowed his eyes. "They have been planning this," he muttered in sudden realization. "It is an ambush."

Reeve and Vincent were left facing the Tonberrys, while Nanaki and Aeris were determined to stand down what appeared to be Marlboros on steroids. It would not be an easy fight.

"Marlboros are weak to fire," Vincent explained. "Aeris, let Nanaki take point and cover him with your magic."

"Of course," she replied, as if she had already known his attentions. With her sweet exterior, it was sometimes easy to forget that she had been fighting and running for most of her life.

Reeve exchanged glances with Vincent. "Tonberrys have no fear. We cannot frighten them into running," he whispered.

"I will not use my limit break." The gunman kept a careful eye on the monsters, which had yet to move, surveying before the attack. "Rely on your magic rather than your knives. Physical pain means nothing to these creatures. I will support with Death Penalty as well as I can."

The ex-executive nodded and steeled himself for the battle to come.

The short, squat creatures swayed as they stood, using their favorite technique of intimidation. Their speed was unmatched so that by the time they chose to fight, their opponents could not avoid it.

Vincent heard the Marlboros give a roar behind him and sensed Nanaki leaping into the air, a battle growl pouring from his lips. He heard Aeris mumbling words and felt the wash of power that he always associated with the casting of her magic.

Beside him, Reeve began casting as well, and the gunman immediately returned his attentions to the battle, already raising the Death Penalty and sighting the three creatures in front of him.

"Comet 2!"

Without preamble, fiery rocks of ice and dust appeared out of nowhere, striking at the Tonberrys. They took the hits with no reaction at all, even when one of their own reeled, bleeding from a massive cut in his head.

Vincent took careful aim with his shotgun, knocking the lantern out of the hand of the closest monster. He remembered that they had limited sight as he hurriedly dug into his pockets and pulled out the Dragon Scales that he had stashed there.

"Reeve! Bolt!" the ex-Turk hissed.

The other man nodded as Vincent threw the Dragon Scales at the gathered Master Tonberrys and watched water blast onto them from nowhere, hopefully dulling their senses. There was a crackle of electricity as Reeve cast Bolt 3 on the soaked creatures, effectively doubling the damage of the magic. They writhed under the attack but still made no sounds.

It was creepy.

Behind the two former ShinRa, the giant Marlboros were no less active. With a great gust of rancid breath, a tentacled creature tried to imbue Aeris and Nanaki with status effects.

Nanaki leapt up into the air, avoiding the attack, claw shining in the dim light as he prepared to take down one. Aeris brought her hands together in a prayer and effectively blocked the disgusting assault, wrinkling her nose at the putrid stench that could not be avoided. Hurriedly, she cast Haste and then Aura at her companion as one of the two began to saunter in her direction, convinced she was an easy target.

Nanaki's claws ripped through the slimy hide of the green creature seconds before the second tried to aim a limb at the seemingly defenseless flower-girl. She drew her lips together in an angry frown as she whipped the staff down on the tentacle and turned it to mush.

The enormous Marlboro keened in pain and withdrew. It didn't stand a chance as Aeris threw out another spell before it could get too far.

"Meltdown!"

An acid like substance dripped out of nowhere, covering the bodies of the Marlboros and lowering their defense, causing their movements to be even more sluggish than usual. The greenish beasts moaned in agony, and Aeris smirked. They would learn that she was no easy foe.

The smell of burnt flesh was nauseatingly thick on the air, floating towards the other side of the battlefield. There, one Tonberry laid belly up, its knife scattered across the floor. The sole creature had taken the brunt of the combined water and lightning attack and had gone down without a sound. Regardless, the other two still regarded Vincent and Reeve with the same dull, unconcerned stare.

Reeve panted from the exertion of the continuous cast and gripped his throwing knife tightly. He wasn't sure if physical attacks would even work on the damn beasts, but he was certainly not going down easy, even if he had all but run out of magic.

Above him in a slightly higher position, Vincent perched, hurriedly reloading the Death Penalty. The clip slammed into place with a loud snap, and he quickly brought the gun up, aiming and carefully firing. It struck the left of the two remaining Tonberrys dead on; yet, the shot didn't seem to faze the beast.

It took another calculated step towards Reeve, who unconsciously took an equally calculated step backwards. His back collided with the rock wall that Vincent was perched upon.

--Let me out,--Chaos' taunted, voice dripping with sarcasm. –Come, human; I want to play with these creatures that feel no pain.—

He attempted to cajole his host, but Vincent was paying him no mind, steadfastly ignoring the relentless pounding of the demon within his skull. The gunman frantically dug through his pockets, searching for another method to defeat the seemingly unstoppable creatures.

Suddenly, a keening cry shrieked through the cavern as one of the Tonberrys threw itself forward to attack. Thinking Reeve was the target, Vincent prepared to jump down and knock him aside, but he was wrong. The ex-Turk had only seconds to react before the Tonberry hurled itself at him, blood-stained knife calling for his death.

"Everyone's Grudge!" it hissed loudly in a voice too guttural to be anything but monstrous.

Vincent dove off his perch and just barely avoided the homicidal creature. Nevertheless, the Tonberry wasn't done with him yet. With a crazed look in its soulless eyes, the creature grinned ferally and jumped after him, lantern swinging as it began the hunt.

The former Turk scrambled to his feet and ran, hurriedly aiming a shot at the Tonberry that was doggedly following him. A bullet struck the creature in the shoulder, and it jerked but did not stop. Green ichor dripped from the wound.

Nearby, Reeve noticed his partner's plight but was faced with his own enemy. He flipped a dagger expertly in his hands and tossed it at the remaining Tonberry. It struck the creature in the center of its forehead, going in all the way to the hilt, and Reeve grinned in triumph, expecting the monster to go down. His eyes widened when the beast simply reached up and idly pulled out the blade tossing it to the ground; its face was just as blank as before. Reeve gulped and racked his brain for a magic he hadn't yet used.

Behind them, the left Marlboro roared as Nanaki slashed through its slimy skin, spilling purplish ooze everywhere. Blood Fist burst through the flesh of the Marlboro, seemingly coming out of the other side with a spurt of gooey blood, and Nanaki grimaced.

His opponent reached for him with its many tentacles, hoping to gain a grip on the slippery demi-human, but Nanaki remained too fast. He twisted out of the way, only to land on his feet and sprint forwards, aiming for an eye. His claw sliced through the jelly-like substance, blinding it seconds before he registered that he had gained the attention of the other.

The right Marlboro opened its mouth and released a beam of frozen water on the nimble demi-human. It struck him in the left leg, instantly turning the limb into a heavy block of ice, and Nanaki crashed to the ground, unable to move.

There was a tingle of magic in the air as Aeris cast a spell. Flare burst over the attacking Marlboro, and it screamed in agony. A veritable nuclear explosion burst in the air beside the smooth flesh of the monster, and it struggled in vain to dodge.

Meanwhile, Nanaki was hurriedly casting Fire over his leg, trying to melt the ice. The first Marlboro lumbered in his direction, sensing easy prey, but Nanaki growled angrily and reached for one of the many beads in his hair. He chucked the Fire Fang at the creature and couldn't help a smirk of satisfaction when it struck and burst into flame, setting the monster's tentacles alight.

Finally, the ice melted, and a pool formed beneath the demi-human. He forced himself to his feet, wobbling a bit on the still slightly frozen limb.

The first Marlboro regained control of itself, the blood bubbling up helping to subdue the flames. It hobbled at Nanaki angrily, screaming in an unintelligible garble, but he stood his ground, awaiting the monster's attack and easily slicing its thin skin with his razor-sharp claws.

The second Marlboro turned to Aeris, its skin all but boiled off from the onslaught of the still continuing Flare. Unsurprisingly, the monster was furious and ready to kill. It shot out its tentacles, one right after the other, not caring for its own pain.

She fought them off with her staff, but one managed to slip through her defenses. It slammed into her chest, and Aeris crashed to the ground.

'Call for me; I will help you.' A voice echoed within her mind, sounding both unknown and yet familiar.

Accustomed to hearing voices, she was not afraid, merely surprised. "I can't," she gasped, struggling to her feet.

The masculine tone continued, becoming more insistent, 'Summon me, my Aeris. I am known to you.'

The giant Marlboro's gaze locked on her as she leaned heavily on the Princess Guard. "I haven't the strength."

'You need not the strength, dearest heart. Just the will. Call for me.'

She squeezed her eyes shut. "I don't know your name," the Ancient admitted, a feeling of helplessness overcoming her. "I never knew your name."

A roar echoed around the cavern, and she snapped open her eyes, finding Nanaki enveloped in a cloud of Bad Breath he could not avoid. Of course, he wasn't equipped for status effect protection, and within seconds, Nanaki was slammed by two tentacles and thrown against a nearby rock face. His body fell to the ground and writhed as poison, silence, and darkness slid into his system.

She could hear him moaning even from a distance.

The voice returned, pounding within her mind and urging her into action. 'You do, child. You have known it all along. I have been here always, whispering to you in the night when you feared and giving you strength when you had none.'

Aeris' jade eyes widened with the realization. "Hephaestion…"

Immediately, the ground began to quake and collapse, leaving a jagged chasm in front of the two huge Marlboros. The creatures looked around in confusion as the mechanical Alexander rose from the depths of the crack, spraying steam from his joints. He leaned forward to gaze at the creatures, anger evident in his glowing eyes. The summon supported his weight on his arms as the Marlboros began to quake with fear.

Two thin, blue lasers traced a quick flourish over the stone beneath the monsters, and the ground erupted in a great explosion, pelting the Marlboros with thick, heavy stone. They fell into the depths of the crater, effectively ending the battle in one move.

Aeris ignored the pain in her chest and dashed to Nanaki's side, managing to collapse just next to his writhing body. She searched through her pack with shaking hands for an antidote or remedy or _something_ because she didn't have the strength for another cast.

'I will heal you both. Worry not, my beloved animus.'

Aeris raised her gaze to find an older gentleman standing above she and Nanaki. He wore silver robes, which covered him from neck to toe. His face was ageless, and his hair was streaked with grey, especially the longish but neatly trimmed beard that sprouted jauntily from his chin.

The mysterious man knelt down next to the two. He closed his eyes and placed a hand on each of their foreheads, and Aeris felt a cooling wind rush through her body, causing the pain in her chest and ribs abated. Beside her, she could see Nanaki becoming calmer.

"Hephaestion?" she murmured softly, realization dawning once more when the man opened his eyes. She found herself staring into azure irises and felt as if she had dared a glance into eternity.

Aeris shivered unintentionally.

He stroked back her hair gently, much like a father would. "Soon," Hephaestion murmured, rising to his feet. "You will know why I have contacted you this day."

Nanaki moaned, and she glanced down to see the demi-human opening his eyes and attempting to rise. There was not a trace of injury upon him.

Wide-eyed, the flower-girl lifted her head to thank the older man, but both he and the summon were gone.

On the other side of the battlefield, Vincent gasped as he tripped on a rock, cursing his bad luck when he tumbled to his knees, and the Tonberry caught the clumsy movement and moved in for the kill. It rushed the fallen ex-Turk, but Vincent twisted out of the way just in time and caught the blood-stained knife on his arm. The rusted blade ripped through his shirt and sliced a deep gash into his flesh from forearm to shoulder.

Ignoring the burning pain, Vincent swung the barrel of the Death Penalty and knocked the Tonberry away from him before it even got a chance to strike again. The soulless creature tumbled away, body turning head over heels across the rocky ground, but the gunman didn't spare it a glance as he pushed himself to his feet. He cursed as he glanced at the wound in his arm. The faint edges were already beginning to heal, but that didn't stop the blood from coursing out and down his arm in rivulets. He knew that the blade had to have been poisoned in some way and wondered what foul concoction now coursed through his veins.

Vincent felt a strange sense of foreboding.

Shaking his head, he cocked the Death Penalty and searched for his enemy. The lantern had shattered into many pieces, but the knife had never left the Tonberry's grip; further, the creature was already picking itself up off the ground.

"I'm calling Bahamut," Reeve announced, already reaching for his materia.

Vincent simply nodded before rushing the Tonberry, hoping to be fast enough to attack first. Lady Luck spat on him, and the monster darted forward, bringing its weapon in a wide arc. He swiftly blocked the blade with his clawed hand and kicked viciously at the smaller creature, wincing at the screech of metal as blade and claw fought for dominance.

He carefully balanced the Death Penalty in one hand and aimed it at the Tonberry. Hopefully, at that a short distance, it would be more effective, and Vincent felt no remorse as he shot the monster point-blank.

The gunman stumbled backwards as the Tonberry was thrown away by the force of the shot. For a moment, Vincent felt his head swim and his eyes blur as he struggled to regain his balance. He cursed when he realized that the monster's blade had been coated with Deadly Waste. Normally, it wouldn't have affected him, but he had wasted his energies on ensuring that his limit break would not overcome him.

"Mega Flare!"

Vincent slumped to the ground, Reeve's summon echoing in his mind. He patted his pockets dully, trying to find the antidote Cid had pressed into his hand when they had all separated earlier.

It seemed like so long ago.

A thunderstorm appeared out of nowhere within the belowground crater. It illuminated a patch of cloud in the darkened sky. The air swirled and distorted, forming a funnel, which pointed up into the atmosphere.

Bahamut spiraled down from above, wrapped in his wings and headed by a thick re-entry cone of compressed air. Coming to a halt, the great dragon let out a roar and surveyed the battlefield. His calm, golden gaze took note of the slumped gunman and the human who had called him.

His eyes narrowed when he caught sight of the Tonberrys, two creatures that he loathed intently. A bright, pink flare formed in front of his mouth, growing as it gathered energy before launching itself as an over-bright comet with a blue tail. It struck the Tonberry that was assaulting Reeve in a brilliant explosion, which obliterated the creature completely.

Meanwhile, Vincent allowed a faint smile to grace his face when he finally felt his fingers slide over the smooth bottle of the antidote. He grasped the vial and pulled out the stopper, immediately upending the bottle and pouring the clear liquid into his mouth. An instant warming sensation tingled across his tongue and down his throat as the antidote did its job. Vincent merely sat back and waited for the medicine to spread throughout his entire body.

The dragon's eyes settled on the last Tonberry, who eyed him without fear. Its arrogance was clear to Bahamut, and his irises flashed as he bared his sharp teeth. The summon hissed, flapping his wings fiercely and rising into the air before diving down at the soulless beast.

The Tonberry did not flinch, its eyes completely expressionless, and as Bahamut drew nearer, Reeve caught the slight change in the monster's stillness and knew it was about to attack Bahamut with its knife.

However, before he could get the warning out, a shot rang through the air and struck the Tonberry. It perfectly blew the knife from the creature's hands seconds before the great maw of the summon closed around the monster.

Long sharp fangs clomped down, and the Tonberry disappeared into Bahamut's gullet, just a minor snack compared to what the great dragon was used to.

Reeve wasn't sure if he even had the energy to cheer their victory.

Bahamut swallowed and then swiveled his head towards the human. Golden, slitted eyes locked onto him, and Reeve immediately froze. He felt trapped within the gaze of a being who had lived for millennia longer than he had.

Truthfully, historians weren't even sure if most summons were even from their planet.

'Learn who I am, little dragon,' a deep and ancient voice resonated inside Reeve's head.

He jumped at the unexpected tone.

'Learn of the past, and perhaps then you will find what you seek.'

He didn't recognize the voice, but he knew without a doubt that it was the ancient summon who had spoken to him. Reeve nodded slowly, not trusting his tongue to work properly, and at his acknowledgement, lightning sparked out of nowhere before Bahamut ducked his head slightly. He then flew upwards into a rapidly building corona of clouds and promptly disappeared.

"Do you think Sephiroth has gained control of the beasts here?" Nanaki asked quietly, drawing the Reeve's attention back to his friends.

Aeris shook her head. "Impossible. I don't know what possessed them to attack in such large groups, but there is no way Sephiroth has gained the ability to control monsters."

Reeve frowned before turning towards Vincent, not quite convinced with Aeris' rebuttal. "How is your wound?"

The gunman glanced up at him momentarily before returning to glaring at the tear in the fabric of his shirt. "It is all but healed. The biggest threat was the poison."

Nanaki blinked, confused. "I thought poison didn't affect you?"

Vincent sighed and turned away. "There are circumstances, which has made that a possibility now," he murmured before quickly changing the subject. "Either way, we have to get moving; we can't sit around here."

Aeris shook her head. "At least, let me take a look at the wound."

The ex-Turk decided to humor her, lest he be forced to endure a longer argument. He rolled up the sleeve of his shirt, noting with disgust that it was caked with his blood, and proved that indeed his wound had mostly sealed.

Nevertheless, Aeris gently placed her hands on his arm. "The poison is gone," she noted, flashing him another one of her winning smiles.

"I could have told you that," he remarked, slipping back into his old shell.

The moment the words left his lips, he felt a shiver of guilt run through his body. Aeris had not deserved his bitter tongue, but she was unfazed by his rather rude answer and stood up. She offered him a hand, which he took, even as he cast an apologetic look.

"You know, Reeve," Nanaki began after sweeping his gaze over the former executive. "How is that you are the only one of us to have not been injured at all?"

The amber-eyed man laughed as he shook his head. "I'm just that good. The monsters couldn't get anywhere near me."

Nanaki flexed his weaponed hand as he stretched out his once frozen leg, shooting the other male an amused glance. "Confident much?"

"Only as I need to be," Reeve smoothly answered, but his face darkened suddenly. "I have to be."

Aeris frowned, noticing the somber tone that the man's voice had taken on. She instantly sensed what had changed his expression.

"They are fine," she assured.

Vincent listened to them in silence as he checked over the Death Penalty before putting it back in its holster. His arm still ached, and for the moment, he didn't feel like hauling the weapon. Inwardly, he was hoping that Cid was all right. Without being near the pilot, he couldn't fulfill his vow to protect the man.

It was worrisome.

"With Cloud waving that freakishly huge sword around and Yuffie picking the monster's pockets, how can they lose?" Nanaki continued, a hint of jest to his tone.

Reeve grinned, a sudden thought hitting him. "And if that doesn't work, Cid could always curse them until they give up and run away!"

The three laughed, glancing slyly at the quiet gunman. They were most surprised when they found yet another rare smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Hai," Vincent agreed as he turned to face them. "Then again, Reno could drive them crazy as well, yo." He made a vague motion with his hand, attempting to mimic the Turk's nonchalant air.

It really didn't go so well, but it was a nice try.

Nanaki gripped his friend warmly on the shoulder as the four turned towards the tunnel they had been heading for earlier. "I do think our brash pilot is having an effect on you," he commented, eyeing the human. "I dare say that was a joke I heard from your mouth."

It came again, that mysterious half-smile tugging at the corner of the ex-Turk's lips. "I think you would be pleasantly surprised how much I've changed."

Vincent didn't see Reeve and Aeris behind them, exchanging happy glances. He did, however, catch the smirk that appeared on Nanaki's face and couldn't resist the urge to roll his eyes. They made such a big deal out of every little thing.


	41. Jenova's Last Dance

'_This is_ _an internal thought_.'

'This is a voice in the mind.'

--This is Chaos speaking-- 

**Chapter Forty-One: Jenova's Last Dance **

The two groups somehow timed it perfectly, ending up in the same cavern at the end of their climb down. Both looked a little worse for wear, telling the tale of how they had just spent the last several hours fighting for their lives.

"How did it go?" Cloud asked, striding up to a somewhat haggard Vincent.

"Three Tonberrys and two enormous Marlboros ambushed us, but it wasn't anything we couldn't handle." The dark-haired man shrugged. "You?"

The former SOLDIER shook his head. "Dragon Zombie nearly got the best of us." He sighed. "At least, our direction is obvious now." Cloud gestured towards the strange staircase, which led downwards into the depths of the crater.

"We decided to use the save crystal," Reeve said striding up to the two. "Here is as good a place as any."

"How much longer do we have?"

"Not enough," Nanaki remarked sadly. He had crept up quietly behind others, listening to their conversation.

Vincent exhaled, his crimson eyes unreadable. "We'll have to work with forced energy rather than resting ourselves then."

Cloud nodded. He hated having to do it, and he knew how much most of them felt about restoring their energy using fake means.

The members of AVALANCHE took a few moments for themselves, using potions for all the minor damage they had incurred. The mega ethers were reserved for all the energy they had used in battle, casting magic and calling summons.

Reeve and Reno were assuring themselves of their health as they traded murmured words of endearment and joked together. Anyone who looked closely enough could see the worry reflected in their eyes, however.

"Here," Yuffie said, walking up to Nanaki.

The demi-human raised an eyebrow at the proffered item she was holding. It was the Tetra Elemental she had found earlier in the cave.

"I know you want to equip for strength, but it might be wiser to protect against magic," the ninja put in.

He took the small accessory, flipping it between his fingers expertly. Nanaki smiled at her, his eyes brightening.

"Thank you. I suppose that you are right. With all the mako around him, Sephiroth will probably rely on magic more heavily than his own strength."

She shrugged, watching as he switched out the Champion Belt for the Tetra Elemental. It was a sad fact that living beings couldn't sustain more than one physical enhancement at a time; otherwise, he would've kept them both attached.

Of course, it left for hard decisions, although people in weapons development were working to make stronger accessories. It was a long and slow going process as many protections tended to cancel each other out, not that the demi-human really needed that much enhancement. All that well-muscled body was more than enough to destroy Sephiroth. And he was fast too, his legs powerful and…

"What about you?" Nanaki asked, suddenly pulling Yuffie out of her musings.

She blinked. "Eh?"

Bemusement flashed into his features. "Don't you need it?" he asked again, gesturing towards the item she had handed over.

"Oh." Realization dawned as she shook her head. "I have the Minerva Band and a Fairy Ring. I don't need much else."

Nanaki smiled. "Confident?"

She cocked her head to the side and struck a pose. "Wouldn't you be, if you were me?" They laughed.

A short distance from the two, Vincent turned back towards Cloud. "What's the strategy? Are we going into this particular battle with any plans in mind?"

His words cut through any and all conversation. The calm and relaxed aura that had settled around the group quickly dissipated. The gunman shifted nervously in his spot, tense that he had caused them all to be so nervous.

"It's not as if Sephiroth has any weaknesses that we know," Nanaki pointed out.

Aeris bit her lip. "Still, we can be prepared even if it's just the barest sketches of a plan."

The swordsman sighed as he contemplated. "First of all, we need three lines of attack instead of just being scattered over the battlefield."

Reno twirled his Electro Rod in his fingers before letting the weapon dangle from his wrist by its band. "Primary offense, secondary, and defensive curative." He ticked each off on his fingers, remembering his Turk training.

"Right," Cloud agreed. "That is what they taught us in SOLDIER." The blond closed his eyes and tried to envision what he should do. There were times that being leader was anything but what he wanted.

"The secondary line should consist of a combination of magic strength and secondary attack," Vincent suggested. "Since Sephiroth was trained by ShinRa, he'll suspect we might do something like this; any formation has to be flexible."

Aeris sighed. "I can tell you this right off. I'm not offense material."

"Yes, I know," Cloud agreed, shooting his girlfriend a comforting smile. "You and Vincent will be the defensive curative. With his shotgun, he can cover us from afar and still do steady damage." He left the rest unsaid.

As the back line, Vincent would also be far from attack himself and close to the healer.

--I'm getting stronger you know,-- Chaos growled suddenly, making his presence known.

"Reeve, Yuffie, Cid, you three will act as secondary line." Cloud's voice faded into the background as Vincent concentrated on the blood-thirsty demon.

'I won't use you. I refuse.'

_--_You fear me; I can see it. You will need my help in this battle and I will enjoying watching you beg for it.--

Internally, the gunman snorted, his eyes narrowing. 'I'd rather die than call for you.'

Chaos chuckled darkly, the noise an uncomfortable slither across Vincent's mind. --I would not allow my host to die on me. You underestimate your ability to make the decision for yourself.-- He smirked internally, bearing a fanged grin as he continued, --When I am free, you won't be able to control me. I can see it now. I can see the fear in your mind and in your heart. Those you care for… him… I'll destroy them all.--

"You'll never get the chance," Vince hissed, feeling the anger coursing through his body. He hadn't even realized he had spoken aloud until he felt the hand settle on his shoulder.

Cid's voice pierced through the hazy fog of fury. "Vince, you alright?"

Vincent blinked and looked into those sky blue irises. "Hmm?" He noted the concerned expression on the pilot's face. "Yes, I am fine."

Cid gave him a skeptical look. "We're going to move out soon," he said, moving around behind the gunman.

Both hands appeared on the former Turk's shoulders, and Cid began to massage him gently, working on the tense kinks he could feel beneath the thick fabric.

The gunman glanced around nervously, but no one was paying them a bit of attention. He really wasn't used to overt displays of affection, especially in public. He allowed himself, just this once, however.

Dimly, he heard the rustle of fabric behind him as one of the pilot's strong hands left his shoulders. Vincent turned and raised an eyebrow when he saw the blond digging around in his pockets, as if looking for something.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm looking for that damn…" Cid started, trailing off as he reached into the pocket of his jeans. "Aha!" he declared triumphantly as he found the item. He held it, and Vincent squinted at it in the dim light.

It was a materia.

"Here," Cid said, holding out the small ball.

Vincent took it, rolling the red materia between his fingers. Then, he recognized it.

His eyes widened. "Th-this is Jade Tiger," he pointed out. "Why?"

Cid shrugged. "Dunno. But something told me I should give him to you."

"But that leaves you weak, you can't fight without his strength on your side," the gunman protested trying to give it back.

The blond shook his head. "Look, I'm not much on all that nonsensical spiritual bullshit, but something in my gut is telling me that you need him more than I do. I can't ignore this feeling. I been trying ever since we landed my airship at this godforsaken crater, but it won't leave me."

Vincent nodded, pulling back his hand. He unholstered the Death Penalty and removed one of his own red materia before replacing it with Jade Tiger. He fingered the summon he had detached, frowning over it. The red materia was Diablos, his second favorite after Hades. When he had awoken in ShinRa mansion, the winged demon had been with him. Since then, he had not shared Diablos with anyone.

Looking up into Cid's blue eyes, he knew what he was going to do with the summon. He handed over Diablos, gesturing that Cid should take it.

"He is not the same as Jade Tiger, but he has been invaluable to me."

Cid took the materia with a smile, deftly slipping it into an empty slot on his armlet. He had taken out Jade Tiger earlier, almost unconsciously, and just hadn't asked Cloud yet if there was something for him to replace it with.

"Vince--"

"Okay, folks, we're moving out!" Cloud called out suddenly, interrupting whatever it was Cid was about to say.

The swordsman was standing on the edge of the precipice. Just below him, the scattered stairs led downwards into the bowels of the crater. There was grim determination in the blond's features as he tightly gripped the handle of the sword slung across his back.

The pilot wanted to curse his bad luck but knew, even if he had started to say something, the gunman probably wouldn't have wanted to hear it just yet. Inwardly, he sighed.

Cloud looked up, his eyes meeting the gazes of every single one of his team members. This was it. The last chance for them to run from the battle, if they so choose.

But none did. All met his glance with equal determination.

Nodding more to himself than anyone else, Cloud took a deep breath and stepped onto the first stair, the members of AVALANCHE following in his wake.

---

Truthfully, they could hardly be called stairs. They weren't connected, instead floating in a sort of phantasmal space that left the team nervous. They feared that, with each step they took, the block of rock would suddenly fall beneath them or crumble away. And below them was nothing but a green abyss, probably spelling quick and certain death, and at the bottom, there was a platform of squarish blocks made of a reflective and hard substance that none could identify. Whatever it was loosely fitted together, hedged in on all sides by rocks.

Finally, they came the ending of the platform. There was nowhere else to go, neither stairs nor obvious path. Just as they began to think that perhaps they had come to the wrong spot, the ground began to shake, and a creature burst from the greenish glow beyond the platform.

It vaguely resembled a large, bulbous snail. Its two appendages, which could have been arms, feelers, or tentacles, sprouted from the frontal area. This was Jenova-Synthesis, the last of the Jenova spawn.

To get to Sephiroth, they would have to go through her.

"Nanaki, Haste! Aeris, Regen! Reeve, Wall!" Cloud ordered, proud to see that each of his team members quickly obeyed.

The three magics were cast in succession, and each person was energized by the temporary rush, doused with continuous healing, and wrapped in a protective translucent wall of magic.

"Cid! Reno! Flank me! Vincent, cover! Yuffie, status!" the swordsman continued, quickly barking out orders.

The two men rushed to his side, and the three attacked the creature, aiming for the soft tissue of the underbelly. Jenova immediately began to flail her appendages wildly trying to strike the attacking party [1.

"No weaknesses! Don't use poison or ice or water!" Yuffie called out, finishing her Sense. That being said, she gripped onto her Conformer, looking for the perfect time to strike.

Cloud slashed viciously at Jenova, making headway, but she didn't seem at all fazed by cuts he was making in her soft belly. Cid had taken another approach, jumping onto the creature's back and trying to find a weakness in the cone-like shell she had surrounded herself in. Jenova bucked wildly, trying to get the pilot off her back as Reno was shocking the hell out of the tentacles He watched them writhe in pain, preventing the two from attacking anything else. The resounding boom of a shot gun permeated the air as Vincent struggled to blind the monster, having a difficult time because of her movement.

The prickle of magic picked at their skin. It was the only warning they received before the monster cast her first spell. Aero ripped through the air, sending a gust of strong wind at the attacking men. Cloud, Cid, and Reno went flying away from Jenova, slamming into the ground with little cushion.

Reeve took the opportunity to cast his own spell. "Demi 3!"

Immediately, the very atmosphere around the creature shifted, the air seeming like it was pulling around itself. It twisted and turned the flesh of the creature, trying to rip her into pieces, and Jenova writhed and keened with the pain, tentacles thrashing about wildly.

The moment of distraction was enough for Yuffie to make her move. She bounded towards the snail-like abomination, releasing her Conformer. It soared through the heavens and struck the flesh-like body of Jenova, leaving a bloody streak in its wake before it restored itself to her hand. To her left, scattered across the ground, Cid, Cloud, and Reno rose to their feet, already heading for Jenova again.

The monster hissed menacingly and proceeded to attack once more. She thrust her tentacles at the men, Nanaki having joined them. The appendages seemed to have a mind of their own, and in the same moment, they avoided both attacks of the blonds and smacked them away. Jenova opened her mouth, and a stream of acidic liquid shot out, slamming into Nanaki even as Reno did a rather acrobatic move out of the way.

The wall surrounding the demi-human took most of the damage, but some managed to burn its way through, sizzling as it struck the skin of his attack arm. Nanaki hissed in pain and leapt backwards, unable to move his claw.

Reno dove in under the tentacles and flipped on his Electro Rod. "Take this, ya fucker!" he yelled as he thrust the weapon up into the underbelly of Jenova.

She hissed with pain but knocked him away, as if he were nothing larger than an insect.

A flash of magic later, Aeris had healed Nanaki. The flower-girl quickly restored the wall around him, adding a bit of her own strength to make it stronger.

The sound of a shotgun echoed, accompanied by a loud groan of pain. Vincent had managed to strike the creature in one of her eyes.

"Ultima!" Yuffie cast, using her strongest magic.

The green ball of flame appeared as before and struck Jenova. Yet, instead of doing damage, the snail-like body greedily sucked in the greenish-fire, leaving the ninja gaping in shock.

Perhaps it would be better if she didn't use Ultima at all.

"5…" the snail-like creature hissed in a voice that sent chills down the spine of those present.

"What the hell?" Cid swore. "I didn't know that fucker could speak." He held his spear out angrily, pissed that he had been thrown back so easily by the monster's tentacles.

"I did," Cloud answered grimly.

She had been talking to him since the battle had begun, but he had been steadfastly ignoring her.

He darted forward and managed to slash through one of the tentacles. It writhed as it fell to the ground, blood pooling below, and the blond raised his blade once more, already forming a counter-attack in his mind.

"Reeve! Ramuh!" Cloud ordered as his gaze quickly sought out the ex-executive's lover. "Reno! Counter after with Brothers!"

"4…" The countdown continued to echo around the cavern.

"Thunderstorm!" Reeve summoned, feeling his body literally tingle with the strength of the call.

Dark storm clouds began to gather over the battlefield as thunder rumbled, and the atmosphere above them flashed. A bolt of lightning struck the floor, lifting up a platform. There, the bearded Ramuh stood. He raised his hands high, staff held strongly in one. At the head, a glowing ball of lightning formed and peppered Jenova with sparks, which joined to form a growing electrical shell around the monster. Energy built up at the top of the shell and then struck inwards with a suitably large explosion.

The snail-like body writhed and screamed as sparks raced along her shell. Nevertheless, even throughout her pain, the monster still managed to speak.

"3…"

Ramuh disappeared in a puff of sparks as Jenova screeched and cast another spell, realizing her physical attacks were useless. Frozen cones of water arched out from her body and threw themselves at the team. Most of them easily batted away the frozen bits; shields that were beginning to lose their effectiveness destroyed the rest.

"Brotherly Love," Reno added, determined to bring the bitch down [2.

The floor beneath Jenova rose, being lifted by a Minotaur of great proportions. It was Sacred, the younger of the two Minotaur twins. He threw the portion of floor high into the air, almost beyond sight, which seemed improbable given where the battle was taking place.

Jenova's screeching count could be faintly heard, "2…"

Suddenly, Safer, the older of the two Minotaurs, appeared at his brother's side. They started a game of rock-paper-scissors, both of them choosing rock, but at the last moment, Safer changed his to paper. Sacred shook his head sadly as Safer laughed then picked up his larger brother with the ease of a child. A heightened breath later, and the younger flying into the departing rock with Jenova atop it.

Safer disappeared as Sacred smashed straight through the flooring, vanishing in the distance. The platform broke into fragments and began to fall. With a resounding crash, both the rock pieces and Jenova struck the ground.

A dust cloud resulted, hampering nearly everyone's vision. A few even choked.

And yet, Jenova had survived the attack.

"1…" Her voice still reverberated throughout the air.

Cid growled angrily and hefted up the Venus Gospel, determined to take down the creature. Though he couldn't see, he had a good guess as to where he could find her.

Before he could attack, however, a tentacle appeared out of the dust and slammed into his thigh. It pierced through his flesh, and blood dripped down his leg, warm and sticky.

"Fucking Jenova!" Cid cursed.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a stick of dynamite, lighting the end on his cigarette and throwing it in the general direction of the main body. He swore heatedly as he brought down the end of his spear on the tentacle and cut it from his body, backing off with an evident limp.

A dark-headed shape darted past the pilot. Yuffie had cast Shadow on herself and was now using the technique to attack the monster without being caught. There was a sparkle of steel and then the sound of pain as Yuffie's Conformer struck home.

"0…"

The walls around the friends shimmered and then disappeared. Only Nanaki's remained since it had been refreshed earlier in the battle. Aeris hurriedly went to recast the spell, but the countdown had been completed.

All at once, the friends found out why Ultima had failed on Jenova.

A flash of light nearly blinded them as the surrounding environment suddenly turned warm, too warm. Jenova was pulling energy from the very ground itself, and emerald cackling fire began to gather around the front of her body.

Before anyone could react, she attacked.

Long tendrils of green flame shot out from the sphere of energy collected in front of her. It struck each and every one of the team members with complete accuracy, even snaking around to hit those that were lithe enough to avoid it.

Screams pierced the air. They were being consumed by a poisonous fire, breathing in nothing but fiery air. Their skin crackled, and tendrils wrapped themselves around their victims as Jenova pumped more power into the magical attack.

Aside from Nanaki, everyone fell to their knees, writhing in agony. They were all but being burned from the inside out. Reeve fell over suddenly, eyes rolled up into the back of his head as his body could no longer stand the agony. Vincent let out a shriek of pain and clasped to his hands and knees, still arguing with something within him.

--You will fail! You will fall! I will kill them!-- Chaos cackled, taunting Vincent as he pushed at the gunman's subconscious, testing the bonds of the human's willpower.

The wall around Nanaki protected him from the worst of the spell, and he knew he was the only one who could do anything. He pushed against the tendrils of flame surrounding him and flexed his claw. While Jenova was absorbed with the casting of the ultimate Ultima spell, he darted forward and sliced through her other tentacle, pulling back only far enough to slash a giant cut in the beast's side.

Jenova roared as blood dripped down her fleshy underbelly. She thrust out the last of the spell, and the green flames disappeared.

The group literally littered the battlefield, most of them choking or gasping as they struggled to draw in air that wasn't filled with fire.

Aeris fought her way to her feet, her body beginning to glow a faint red as her limit break consumed her. Jade eyes glowed brightly, and she raised her staff and held it out in front of her. Her eyelids fluttered as the fresh scent of spring filled the air, and a soft wind began to flow, washing away the smell of battle and blood. The beating of wings was a most welcome sound, and a party of angels appeared out of nowhere, descending on the party to heal and restore their energy.

'Lis… you… me.' A voice resounded from within Cloud's mind.

He jumped even as the cooling sensation of being healed spread throughout his body. He shook his head, considering it an illusion of his pain. Either that or Sephiroth, and he wasn't going to obey that bastard any longer.

Hephaestion noticed this internal struggle and mentally frowned. 'Your promised is ignoring his other,' he whispered to Aeris as he sent a tingle of healing energy swimming through her veins.

Her eyes took on a faint note of concern, knowing well Cloud's fear of voices within his head. "He probably can't hear you as I can," she replied shakily.

There was a sparkle of light, and the angels disappeared. However, Reeve remained unconscious, their power only able to restore physical wounds. Reno crept over to his side, trying to awaken his lover as Vincent struggled to his feet, obviously still arguing with something.

It went without saying that the battle would have to continue without the three of them.

Yuffie stood angrily, bearing her Conformer. She flung it at the monster, watching as it arced and slashed across the flesh easily, cutting into the soft skin. Yet, no matter how much blood Jenova lost, the bitch would not go down. It was like there was something else powering her.

Or perhaps Jenova was simply determined to protect her "son."

'Iblion is calling to him. You will need him to defeat that creature," Hephaestion insisted, his presence pressing tenaciously upon her mind, even as he mentally soothed her.

She bit her lip irritably before turning towards her lover, calling to him. "Cloud! Don't ignore him! It's not Sephiroth," she blurted out. When mako blue eyes darkened in confusion, she struggled to find the right words. "Just listen!"

'…I… oth… call… Ib…' The words were still garbled as Cloud tried to push them from his mind. He heard Aeris' voice and idly wondered how she knew he was hearing voices.

Frozen cones of water flew through the air once more.

Cid took one in the shoulder and went down. Nanaki nimbly avoided two and raced in for battle, still not doing any more damage than the thick slashes.

But suddenly, a bright, blue light surrounded Jenova. They were forced to shield their eyes from the luminescence, and when they could once again look, it was to see that she had been completely healed.

Was Jenova invincible?

"What the &#!" Cid cursed, his jaw gaping as he rolled across the ground to avoid a recently restored tentacle. He gasped as he turned onto his injured shoulder, leaving a streak of blood across the ground behind him.

'You need an attack strong enough to take out every piece of her at once,' Hephaestion pushed. 'This is Jenova; her entire body is regenerative.'

Aeris shook her head violently, her head beginning to ache from Hephaestion's pushing. "Listen to him!" she urged, her voice sharper than she intended.

"I can't!" Cloud screamed in return. His hand went up to his head, fingers entangling viciously his spikes. "It's just garbled nonsense!"

Just then, a cloud of poisonous gas flooded the air, an attack that Jenova had not yet leashed. The rolling, grayish-green, noxious substance clung to their bodies; they were forced to inhale the poison, causing a silence to fall over the battlefield. Much like a Marlboro's breath, it caused every status effect imaginable, leaving only Cid and Reno left standing because of the Ribbons they had equipped.

The pilot dug into his pack, producing the only remedy he had thought to bring with him on this Kamiforsaken mission. The only problem remained was who to give it to, and his eyes searched the battlefield.

Reno was frantically probing through his pockets for a remedy to help Reeve. His Heal had broken in the fight earlier when he had slammed into the dirt. Yuffie and Vincent were unconscious nearby, while Nanaki was frozen in time, his claw ready for action. Aeris leaned heavily on her staff, a victim of both darkness and silence.

Cloud, a victim of silence and darkness himself, couldn't see the pleading looks that Aeris was attempting to send his way. Not that it mattered because finally, the voice was clear.

'Call for me, my beloved animus. Call for Iblion, and I will come.'

His fingers tugged frantically at his blond spikes. 'What are you? Why are you in my mind?'

The voice was unfailingly patient, despite the urgency of the situation. 'Does it matter at this point? Your friends are vulnerable to Jenova's attack now.'

"5…" Jenova's voice filtered through to Cloud's conscious as he slowly began to panic.

Somewhere beyond him, Cid was running towards Aeris, believing she was the best to use his remedy on.

The voice continued, pulling Cloud's attention away from a battle he could not see. 'It will cast that attack, and it will destroy you.'

He groaned, though the sound went no further than the rumble in his chest. 'I can't speak. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't!'

'That matters not. Say it! Say my name! Please, little brother!' The words screamed in his mind, echoing and echoing until they filled his thoughts.

The ex-SOLDIER's lips formed the name, though his vocal cords were locked. "Ib…lion," he mouthed unable to truly speak.

Pain coursed through his body once more as both poison and the agony of petrification began to take over.

The ground unexpectedly trembled, though he couldn't see what was going on.

Cid tripped over an unexpectedly protruding rock and stumbled, nearly losing his grip on the remedy.

Lightning appeared out of a thundercloud and struck Jenova dead on, causing blue energy to course over her body. Before the sparkles could dissipate, they leapt into the air and morphed into ice shards. The sharpened icicles pummeled Jenova, creating a ball of ice that turned solid for only a moment before it imploded, and the ice crashed to the ground and melted into a puddle within seconds. The water suddenly caught fire, sending giant sparks of flame onto Jenova. The snail-like monster had no time to react as she was then pummeled by fireballs.

The ground shook violently once again. Blocks of stone burst upwards, and the great boar, Kujata, emerged. He tossed his head violently as the ring in his nose swung back and forth. The boar stomped furiously, creating a wave of dirt and rock, which pummeled into Jenova. It created a mud mush that both hampered her movements and caught fire from the magical flame.

Jenova screamed, flopping around uselessly as Kujata roared angrily and charged, spearing her on his enormous tusks. It was a battle of great beasts, but it was obvious who would come out the victor.

The great boar reared up on his hind legs and stomped on Jenova's shell, cracking it beneath his great weight. She crumpled, and Kujata snarled, spearing the creature on one of his sharp tusks. Blood spurted everywhere; far more than the team had managed to produce in their measly attacks alone.

Meanwhile, Cid shoved himself to his feet and darted across the ground, finally reaching Aeris. He rapidly poured the remedy down her throat, and the moment she was cured, the Ancient acted, quickly casting Heal in rapid succession.

Reno found his own remedy and coaxed it into Reeve's mouth. With a cough, the ex-executive sat up but managed to swallow the tingling liquid.

In the interim, Kujata slammed Jenova down once again.

The creature collapsed. She had no more will to fight. Jenova twitched a last time and died, releasing a keening wail and forcing them to cover their ears.

Displaying a large roar of victory, Kujata vanished in an explosion of light, and suddenly, the ground beneath them shook.

That was their only warning before it collapsed, dropping each and every one of them into the depths of the crater.

[1 I couldn't remember any of Jenova's attack except her countdown to Ultima, so I made them all up; any resemblance to actual attacks is purely chance.

[2 Changed this summon a bit because I couldn't remember everything. It's from FF8.


	42. Shattered

17

'This is a voice in the mind.'

Chapter Forty-Two: Shattered 

Cloud awoke with a groan, holding his aching head and finding that he was actually the first to do so. The others were lying on the ground around him, but at least, he was assured of their health. He swept his gaze over their location, finding that they were in a darkened, flat space, deep in the interior of the crater. He suspected that Sephiroth was somewhere near; he could feel it.

He rose to his feet and turned around, mako eyes landing on a strange object about fifty feet away, nestled in a basket of reddish stone. It was both pulsating and glowing, vaguely shaped like an egg. And within the blue, semi-transparent material, he could barely make out Sephiroth's form.

They had found him.

Behind him, the skittering of stone and a chorus of groans informed him that the others were gradually awakening and rising to their feet. They dusted themselves off as someone stepped up beside him. He instantly recognized the presence.

"Are you all right?" Aeris asked, laying a hand on his arm. Her gaze traveled past him, and she instantly stiffened, eyes narrowing.

"Sephiroth," Nanaki growled, noticing the egg-like object.

"Cloud! Behind us!" Vincent hissed as the sound of his gun-cock echoed hollowly in the cavern.

The blond whirled around, only to have his eyes widen. In the darkness behind their clustered forms, many pairs of eyes stared back. Bodies slowly came into light, resembling an army of monsters of every kind, from the large Behemoths to the weak Allemange.

Sephiroth had not been unguarded.

Reeve sucked in a breath. "Perhaps he _is_ controlling the monsters," he muttered under his breath, hand automatically falling to his side as he flicked his wrist, a dagger sliding easily into his grip.

Cloud swallowed thickly, his heart beginning to thud loudly in his chest. This was it, the final battle. There was no turning back, not with Sephiroth so close and the end of the world waiting just beyond their fingertips.

"Reeve, Yuffie, Vincent, Cid, I leave you four to watch our backs," he ordered as he turned towards the frozen state of his nemesis. At his side, Reno, Aeris, and Nanaki remained.

Suddenly, the sound of a sharp crack split the uneasy and tense silence as every eye, monster included, turned towards the solid cocoon. A crack formed in the frozen liquid, spreading swiftly down the front before it abruptly shattered, releasing the former General.

Mako green eyes opened, revealing that they glowed even brighter than usual, even more menacing.

Sephiroth stepped from the rock and ice shards, a malevolent smirk on his normally impassive face. He managed to retain much of his once human form, the Masamune gripped in one of his hands. Except now, two horns sprouted from his forehead, and six tentacles sprouted from his back in a horrific parody of wings. He retained his black leather armor, but the greenish aura of mako completely surrounded his body as he smoothly slid into battle form.

He sneered as his disdainful gaze slid over the ragtag group. "If it isn't the ex-SOLDIER," Sephiroth hissed, slitted eyes narrowing. "I had hoped you would come to let me kill you."

"I'm not the one facing defeat." Cloud gritted his teeth, fingers clenching around the hilt of his Ultima Weapon. It offered little comfort.

The former General laughed, low, mocking, and generally more hair-raising than any laughter should be. "Let my minions handle your friends. Let's see if you can truly be my bane." He raised his free hand and crooked a finger at Cloud.

The blond raised his sword, eyes with the same mako glow but shining with the force of his determination. His blade gleamed in the dimness of the cavern, but he was prepared; he was ready. There was no where else to turn should he fail.

No pressure.

A smirk was his only warning before Sephiroth darted forward, step more of a flash than anything.

Seconds later, their blades met in a fierce clang, and the duel was on, the ringing of their swords filling the air in a deadly dance. It was both beautiful and terrifying to watch. Sephiroth was amused, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, while Cloud was deadly serious.

However, his friends were unable to watch or even guard his back because the monsters chose that moment to attack. It was more than enough for the seven of them to handle… and perhaps even too much. There seemed no end to the hordes of creatures that swarmed around them, seeking blood.

Vincent immediately began firing as quickly as he could, swift shots to the head that destroyed them. He reloaded multiple times, enough so that he feared he would run out of bullets. The monsters fell left and right, heads exploding and blood spattering the beasts next to them, but they kept coming, nonetheless, as if some strange force was driving them forward.

To his right, Yuffie bounded around, throwing her Conformer and occasionally sneaking in to steal items off of fallen enemies. Blood was quickly covering the hard-packed earthen floor as heads rolled and tentacles lay in twitching piles.

Standing back to back, the two former ShinRa were working together. Reeve was casting spells faster than he was bothering to throw his knives. Bolt 3 and Aero were ripping through the ranks of monsters, destroying them as quickly as they appeared. Reno's Electro Rod defended them from any monster that dared get too close; he was a terror on the battlefield. His normally amused expression was replaced with one of determined gravity. Together, they were formidable.

Cid was throwing dynamite into the crowds until he ran out, blowing up monsters and not feeling the least bit sorry. The Venus Gospel defended him when any got too close, and the occasional shotgun burst near him helped him feel a bit safer. Aeris was standing at his back, using her staff to fend off enemies as well and occasionally throwing the powerful spell or three. She kept a close eye on the health of her companions, ready to heal if necessary as she prayed inwardly for Cloud's safety, only able to watch his duel from the corner of her eyes.

Fire and Lightning lit up the darkened cavern as Nanaki tossed many of the beads from his hair, pleased to see them destroying hordes of the monsters faster than he could blink. Vampire Fangs also became projectiles, and when anything came too close, it fell quickly to his claws.

It literally looked like the middle of a gruesome war with blood so slick on the ground that some were slipping on it; other monsters were already beginning to feast on the fallen. The members of AVALANCHE could feel nausea curling in their bellies, and on the edge of that, the faint taint of fear entered their hearts.

The clanging of swords only added to the melee of noises produced by the battle. Cloud viciously slashed at Sephiroth, but the General easily blocked, pulling back swiftly to aim at the blond's left side. Cloud sensed the move and parried, trying to use his strength to push the man aside.

Jade eyes flashed. "I grow tired of this duel," Sephiroth growled, his lip curled back in a feral snarl. "You cannot beat me!" His face twisted and was all but unrecognizable from the man Cloud had once known.

The blond growled. "You talk too much!" He swung his blade at Sephiroth one-handed, following it with a vicious punch.

The General easily evaded the sword but wasn't prepared for the fist that followed. His head snapped backwards when the punch hit him square on the jaw.

In retaliation, Sephiroth's tentacles whipped forward. Two seized Cloud's sword, yanking it from his grip and chucking it far away. Two more slammed against the blond, shoving him several feet away and far from the reach of his sword.

Cloud hit the ground hard, a grunt of pain escaping his mouth.

"Cloud!" Yuffie yelled, heart leaping into her throat. She bounded forward, tossing her Conformer mid-stride.

Sephiroth simply laughed, easily smacking the shuriken away. It careened off into the dark wildly, leaving Yuffie without her weapon.

Unfazed, the little ninja grabbed a dagger out of her left boot and stood in front of a quietly gasping Cloud, determined to protect him. Seconds later, Nanaki stood at her side, anger gleaming in golden eyes; his teeth bared in an enraged snarl.

Sephiroth merely smirked at them, convinced that their level of power was nothing he needed to worry about. He sheathed the Masamune and crossed his arms over his chest. He was not there to battle these minor nuisances; his interest lay in Cloud alone, but why, he was not certain.

"Your leader couldn't defeat me," Sephiroth taunted. He noted Cloud's struggle to rise, the other man clutching at his ribs, struggling to draw in a breath. "What makes you think you can?"

"It doesn't matter whether we actually can or not," Nanaki snapped, fingers tightening the already bloodstained claw on his arms. "It only matters that we have to."

A gust of wind slammed into all four as somewhere behind them, Cid summoned Pandemona. The force of the wind beast blew away hordes of the monsters, and called up several tornadoes, ripping up chunks of rock and sending them scattering. Some of their party was even forced to dodge the randomly thrown boulders.

Somehow, Cloud managed to scramble to his feet, wincing visibly as he swept his gaze over the ground, searching for his sword. In front of him, Yuffie and Nanaki stood steadfast, but he didn't want them to have to face Sephiroth alone. He finally found his blade, well over thirty feet away and moved as quickly as he dared towards it.

Sephiroth began to mock them once more. "Insects have no battle against a god!" He sneered and waved his hand nonchalantly before crossing it back over his chest.

It was the only warning they had before Yuffie suddenly rose into the air and was thrown against one of the spike-studded walls by an invisible force. She struck the stone with a defining thud, and a harsh crack echoed over the battle din.

"Yuffie!" Golden eyes narrowed as Nanaki snarled and darted forward, his claw aiming for Sephiroth's all too exposed throat.

Something flashed by him, only vaguely recognized as Cid. The pilot darted in front of Nanaki and attacked Sephiroth spear first. The former General smirked as he grabbed onto Cid's Venus Gospel with one hand and balled his other into a fist. Cid dodged the punch and lashed out at the other man with his boot.

At the same time, Nanaki slashed angrily, managing to catch the edge of a leather-covered shoulder as Sephiroth twisted his body to the side. Two tentacles threw themselves at the demi-human, and he swiped at one, leaping to avoid the second with an artful flip of his body.

Meanwhile, Cloud dove for his sword.

On the other side of the battle, Aeris and Reeve stood back-to-back facing the tremendous horde of monsters. The ex-executive was tiring from casting so many spells so quickly, and he was panting visibly, sweat streaming down his forehead. Aeris was fairing little better as she defended his back, trying to find the proper vial in her pack to restore their energy.

And yet, the vast numbers of the horde were slowly pushing them backwards. Soon, they would join the battle against Sephiroth, whether they intended to or not.

Near to them, Reno was paired with Vincent, his Electro Rod flaring up every second as he defended the gunman's back. Bullets were flying from the other man's gun almost faster than he could reload them, and enemies began to stack up in bleeding, odorous piles around them. Nonetheless, the monsters did not cease their assault, blindly throwing their lives away.

Vincent finally resorted to what any smart individual would do in such a situation. "Black Cauldron!"

Darkness fell over the battlefield, and four small fires sprang to life in the middle of the ground. A circle of strange symbols spun as a suspiciously patterned, stone disc rose from the floor. It was followed by four columns that formed a stage, and a gothic chandelier was suspended in midair above the platform, casting an eerie light over the area. A pillar of light summoned Hades, who stood over a smoking cauldron. There was a rumble and an almost smirk tugged at the summon's bone lips.

His cauldron erupted, sending a tide of crimson and sapphire smoke over the gathered horde. The monsters fell, howling in pain as acid began to eat away at their skin. Darkness and Silence afflicted more, while still others were forced to stop in their tracks, destroyed by the status effect magic of Hades' azure smoke.

The summon chuckled ominously before disappearing in a flash of onyx light.

Somewhere near Reno and Vincent, Cloud kicked at a tentacle as it tried to stop him from reaching his sword, casting Bolt 3 as he ran. Its electric energy surrounded the tentacle and traced the appendage back towards Sephiroth, hitting the main body. The former General only grunted before pushing back against the spear in his hand and kicking out violently at Cid.

He caught the pilot in the knee, and Cid dropped to the ground, his leg buckling under his weight. Sephiroth grinned maliciously as he smoothly withdrew his Masamune and swung down to deal the final blow, only to be stopped by a recently retrieved Conformer. Mako eyes widened in shock as Yuffie grinned back at him, panting and covered in dirt, but still alive as he had not expected.

Sephiroth bared his teeth and pushed strongly against her. Another of his many tentacles whipped out, wrapping around her chest and flinging her across the cavern. Burning pain raced across his side as Nanaki broke through the man's defenses, managing to knick him in the abdomen.

Sephiroth turned to deal with this annoying foe, but suddenly, Cloud was there, sword gleaming in the darkness of the cavern. Masamune met Ultima Weapon with a clang as a tentacle thrashed through the air. It slammed into Nanaki's chest and forcing him several steps backwards, granting Sephiroth a moment's respite. A flash of green magic, and Cid was quickly at his leader's side, injured knee completely healed.

Feeling overwhelmed, Sephiroth finally decided to resort to his magic. "Aero!"

It slammed into the three attacking him, and they skidded across the ground, digging lines in the dirt with their boots. Monsters slipped through the lines then, going between the exhausted four already fighting them. As Cloud and Nanaki regained their balance, throwing themselves back into a duel with Sephiroth, Cid turned to deal with the huge Behemoth already making a beeline for them.

Desiring her help, Nanaki opened his mouth to speak. "Suza--"

But before he could even finish, a tentacle smacked him across the head, cutting a large gash into his forehead. Blood streamed down his face and into his eyes, momentarily blinding him as he stumbled backwards from the powerful blow.

Across the battlefield, Vincent drew to a sudden and complete halt. A voice that he hated to recognize echoed in his head.

'It is time.'

Vincent whipped around, his gaze sweeping over the bloodstained battlefield and the battle that was rapidly being lost. His heart crawled into his throat, and he suddenly knew.

A burning sting on his arms distracted him, and cursing to himself, Vincent absentmindedly shot the offending creature before returning his gaze to the battle, automatically seeking out Cid. Crimson eyes widened in shock as he found the pilot battling a Behemoth, Sephiroth's gaze locked on his unprotected back.

A throaty whisper echoed, 'Make your choice.'

Yet, the gunman knew what it was going to be before the voice even spoke. He darted forward, ignoring the pain in his back as a Gargoyle lashed at him. He cast Fire 3 without turning around, not bothering to see whether it affected the creature or not.

Time seemed to slow. It felt as if he were running through mud. His legs were hampered; he wouldn't be fast enough. He was going to fail.

'You have no time.'

Sephiroth slashed downwards at Cloud, cracking his sword and cutting through the blond's chest. The swordsman went flying backwards, blood seeping through his shirt immediately and splashing wetly onto the ground.

Eyes of jade fire flashed with a desire to kill.

Vincent leapt, an image of his lover reflecting in his eyes, determination fierce in his stare. He cared for nothing else as his body suddenly jerked, fiery pain ripping through him. The Death Penalty clattered to the ground, blood dripping onto it in large spatters.

Cid turned when he heard someone yell his name, only to have his eyes widen when crimson splashed across his face and clothes. It sprinkled his lips, hair, and neck with warm wetness. The smell of copper was on the air and around him so thick he could taste it. His spear hung from limp fingers, barely within his grasp.

Blood dripped again to his face, and he hardly blinked as he took in whose blood was on him. Vincent was looking at him, something akin to fear and relief in his eyes as red liquid dribbled from between his lips. It collected at the corner of his mouth, sliding down his chin in a macabre river. Their eyes locked in what could have been romantic were it not for the blood staining the front of his clothes and his ashen skin.

Cid literally felt something clench inside of him as his gaze raked over his lover's body, taking in the four tentacles that had pierced his abdomen, chest, and shoulder.

The battle around him faded to nothing, all sensation disappeared. A scream of anger, the clashing of swords, the heat of the flames, and the crackling of electricity… It was all nothing but dimness and silence to his ears.

"Cid…" Vincent's voice cracked, and more blood bubbled up, nearly choking him. His body felt weak and pained, but already, something was stirring in his mind. He had been trying to forestall it, but now, the choice had been made.

The pilot choked, lips unable to form a word as he reached for Vincent. It felt as if minutes had passed rather than the few seconds it had actually been.

However, the gunman felt it; he knew it was coming. Vincent jerked away, even as the tentacles withdrew from his body with a sickening pop and slide of blood-spattered gore. Two lashed out at Cid, but he was prepared and slashed violently at them, cutting them into pieces.

Vincent slumped to the ground, falling to his knees as liquid pooled around him, glistening on black clothing. He twitched as he felt crawling beneath his skin and a tingle across his back.

This was going to be the most painful of them all; he already knew it.

Cid rushed to his side, but Vincent held out one stained hand to ward him off as his body began to pulsate and throb.

"No…" Vincent choked, shaking his head as he struggled to lock eyes with his lover. "Just… run." His eyes suddenly rolled into the back of his head as his entire body seized up.

Cid stared, tears welling up in his eyes. He vaguely registered the monsters advancing on them, drawn by the smell of the fresh blood. He barely acknowledged the fight with Sephiroth, instead ignoring his lover's warning. He only wanted to be with Vincent, to heal him, to do _something_.

There was so much blood; he didn't even know the human body could hold that much.

He stepped forward, but it was a change in Vincent's expression that caused the pilot to stop in his tracks.

The gunman's body fell forward, and he struggled to catch himself with his hands. An unearthly and guttural scream emerged from his mouth as a pair of black, webbed wings burst out of his shoulders in a shower of gore. His entire body jerked as his skin split eerily.

Clutching his spear tightly, Cid took a few steps back and stared in uncontrollable horror. He didn't know that form, which meant that it had to be Chaos. It was the one form Vincent had always feared, though he never said so aloud.

A Behemoth barreled out of the darkness, slamming into Cid. He flew a few feet backwards with the enormous beast on top of him. The blond snarled and cursed as he fought to get the huge creature off of him. He punched the tusked creature in the head, but it only growled at him.

Seconds later, another weight collided with the Behemoth, knocking the monster from him, and Cid sucked in a deep breath. His quick search found that Nanaki had come to his aid, rolling around with the much larger beast and slashing it up with his claw. The pilot moved into the fray, bringing up the Venus Gospel and slicing off the monster's head before immediately swiveling his attention back to his lover, only to exhale sharply.

The ex-Turk had completely transformed and had taken to the air, flying through the battle and heading straight towards Sephiroth. An almost gleeful look decorated the demon's gleeful face as he snapped his wrists, claws extending from hands that had once been human.

"It's not even him," Cid murmured aloud. "Not anymore…"

Beside him, Nanaki was horrified. "Is… is that?" he asked, unable to even complete his question.

Cid could only nod mutely, a deep fear rising inside of him. Behind those eyes, he saw something familiar, reminding him of the day he had kissed Vincent in front of everyone. He recognized the malevolence in that stare.

Around them, the cavern began to shake violently, almost succeeding in throwing many of them to the ground as Chaos collided with Sephiroth. He knocked all other opponents aside, tearing into the former General with a vengeance.

The members of AVALANCHE could only watch in mute horror.

"What the hell is that?" Cloud demanded, pulling back to stand beside Aeris as he gripped his cracked sword. The look of sadistic glee on the demon's face was enough to make even him blanch.

Aeris' eyes had widened but were still filled with a measure of sadness. "Can't you tell?" she murmured, her gaze flickering to the devastated pilot some distance behind them.

Cloud's jaw dropped. "Vincent," he murmured before shaking his head. "So that's what he meant…"

Behind them, the monsters scattered, alarmed by the shaking of the ground and the terrifying presence of Vincent in his final form.

"Cloud!" Cid exclaimed, running up to the swordsman. "Vince is--"

The blond nodded, his face grim. "I know," he responded before turning his gaze to the battle.

There was nothing left for them to do but watch.

"I will not die here!" Sephiroth screeched, despite the fact that he looked haggard. All of his limbs were torn off, and the Masamune laid broken into pieces at his feet. His eyes glowed with a mysterious, yellow aura and not than the familiar mako green.

Chaos smirked. "You have no choice!" He tore into Sephiroth's body with a lazy claw and a gleeful smirk.

The demon laughed, his tone low and mocking as Sephiroth twitched in his final throes before collapsing in a pile of gore and limbs. The demon's shoulders twitched as he tossed the broken body to the ground and turned to face the friends, eyes glowing dangerously.

"Now, it is your turn!" he hissed, claws clenching expectantly.

The ground shook violently, the Lifestream beginning to bubble to the surface in a very dangerous display of its strength.

"Everyone, get out of here!" Cloud ordered, the conversation with Vincent echoing in his mind.

He started pushing his friends towards what he deemed was the way out. It was the way the monsters had scattered, and he assumed it was an exit.

Chaos took a step towards them and then appeared to hesitate. A confused expression was on his face as the ceiling began to cave in, rocks crashing loudly to the floor.

Behind Chaos, the Lifestream suddenly gushed upwards, creating a great, emerald fountain. The demon roared, clenching his fists tightly, as if carrying on a battle within himself. His eyes shifted in intensities of red before his whole body suddenly stilled, and he grinned maliciously.

The demon had pushed aside all that remained of man within him.

Cid ignored Cloud's call for retreat. He wasn't going to leave Vincent behind, and he was certain that the gunman was in there somewhere. He might be the only one who could coax the ex-Turk out. He had done it before.

"Cid, come on!" Cloud ordered impatiently, but the pilot merely shook his head, hand tightening on his spear.

The other man's lips formed a thin line of anger as he cursed angrily and stormed towards him, wrapping his fingers around Cid's arm and tugging almost violently. He was determined to make the pilot leave, knocking him out if he had to. He had promised he would.

"No!" Cid exclaimed stubbornly, digging his heels into the ground. "Vince is still in there, and m'not leavin' him!"

Cloud gave another jerk, his greater strength succeeding in moving the pilot a few feet. "That was his choice!" he declared exasperatedly. He dimly registered Chaos regaining control, already locking his bloodthirsty gaze on them.

"You can't expect me to believe that!" Cid tried to throw off Cloud's arm. Another hand joined with the swordsman.

It was Nanaki.

His voice was gentle, his eyes sympathetic. "I saw his wounds. Even if he has changed, he cannot live through that. Not even with his body."

Cid hesitated, eyes still looking towards the advancing demon. There was hunger in his eyes, hunger for their deaths. Not even a spark of his lover remained beneath the coal-like depths.

The floor shook again as cracks began to form in the soiled crust.

Suddenly, darkness fell. The air around them sunk into an ominous purple as a horde of bats emerged from nowhere. They converged to form a growing, black ball in between Chaos and the startled humans. Diablos dripped from the underside of the ball as he spread his wings and released more bats.

Purple eyes glared down at the demon, and his voice was gravelly as it echoed through the cavern.

"Leave, Byakko's other. This is no longer a fight you can win."

Chaos laughed mockingly. "You would dare to stop me, Baal? You would do it again, traitor?"

"I see you haven't forgotten the old names in your long imprisonment," the summon murmured. "Or even my own fault." He brandished his claws. "Release him."

Chaos shook his head. "I fear not you, Gravity beast. Just because you and the others locked us away does not mean you are the more powerful." A sneer broke across his face. "I have not forgotten what you have done, my dearest friend. I will never forgive you."

Below them, the humans exchanged confused looks as another mako fountain ripped through the earth. It was then that the sound of rotors filled the air.

The pilot of the Highwind had somehow known they needed him and had flown as deep into the crater as he was able. With the collapsing of the walls around them, it was easy for the airship to reach them.

"Get out of here now!" Diablos ordered, intercepting Chaos as he made a dive for the members of AVALANCHE. The two collided, their limbs entangling as the ground shook beneath the force of their great strength.

Chaos screamed, managing to sound both bestial and human in the same tortured breath. "Run!" He gurgled then as Diablos pushed him to the ground, wings crunching beneath him.

That was the last encouragement they needed. Everyone ran for the hovering airship as the crew struggled to unroll the ladder and throw it down. Reno and Reeve were the first to scramble up, Yuffie right on their heels. Even Cid followed.

The Lifestream exploded again, cracking up the ground. Explosive bursts of mako streamed upwards, splashing over both demons. But they were oblivious to the destruction of the crater around them.

On board the Highwind, as it began to pull away with everyone safely aboard, the members of AVALANCHE stood on the deck, staring down in horror at the two still battling. A violent roar echoed around them, making even the airship shudder as the ground suddenly crumpled, dropping both winged demons down into the depths of the Lifestream.

"Dammit!" Cid angrily cursed, fist hitting the railing as he sunk to his knees.

The others could only watch in mute silence as Diablos and Chaos disappeared beneath the surface of the Lifestream.

A falling boulder struck the side of the airship, causing it to careen wildly, and they struggled to hold on. However, Cid just stared mutely at where his lover had once stood. He held the blood-spattered Death Penalty in his hand, something he had grabbed before running to the Highwind as he ignored the cries of worry from his friends.

Silent tears coursed down his face. "I didn't get to tell him," Cid whispered so quietly that no one could hear him. "He doesn't know that I love him."

Another boulder struck the airship, sending it in a crazed spiral and off balance. It began to slowly descend again, heading towards the collapsing walls and exploding Lifestream.

The pilot on the bridge made an executive decision since Cid seemed disinclined to do so. "Hold on!" he screamed over the intercom and pulled the emergency switch.

The boosters that Cid had revealed earlier flared to full power causing the airship to thrust forward so quickly that even the Captain was momentarily shocked. The Highwind shot straight upwards and out of the crater that was rapidly collapsing, covering the remnants of the Lifestream like there had never been anything there at all.

They had come through alive. Sephiroth had been stopped. The airship was flying away with all members aboard.

All members save one.


	43. Epilogue

**Chapter Forty-Three: Epilogue**

Cloud sighed as he stared out the window of his villa in Costa del Sol. Outside, the sun was falling slowly, casting a myriad of purples and oranges in the sky that did nothing to calm his disordered emotions and soul. He gulped at the vodka in his hand, grimacing at the pleasant burn that trickled down his throat.

It didn't help much, alcohol rarely did.

The victorious members of AVALANCHE and extended company had gathered at his home to celebrate their victory. All of the Turks were there, Barret, Elmyra, Marlene, Shera, Archer, and everybody from the final battle, everybody save one.

The freedom of the planet had come with a price. They had lost one of their own, or to be more accurate, Vincent had sacrificed himself. That was the choice that had to be made.

Cloud believed that it was something he personally had to decide, and in a way, that was true.

And Cid… he hadn't yet recovered. Perhaps he never would.

When Vincent had transformed and had taken down Sephiroth, causing the whole crater to collapse in on itself, the others had been forced to run. There wasn't anything they could do to stop Chaos. A tortured voice had screamed at them to run, the last part of Vincent's true sanity trying to protect them. Further, Diablos had summoned himself somehow and had taken it upon himself to hold back the bloodthirsty demon so that they could escape.

It was only from the airship that they saw Holy finally start to work, summoning the energy of the Lifestream and using it as a weapon to destroy Meteor. With that the planet was saved, but Vincent was still gone. He hadn't come back to them as Aeris had; he had been the sacrifice.

Cloud wanted to curse at himself. He should have known what was going to happen. After all, Vincent had hinted at it well enough.

---

"_I want to talk to you," the ex-Turk said, grabbing Cloud's arm and pulling him off to the side, away from where the others had gathered. _

_Cloud frowned, disliking the rough handling. "What about?" he asked, confusion evident in his tone. He folded his arms over his chest, regarding the usual stoic man with an air of curiosity._

"_Chaos." _

_The blond raised an eyebrow and regarded the gunman thoughtfully. "Sorry, but I'm not fluid in onewordese; you're going to have to elaborate." _

_Vincent sighed. "He is getting stronger, and it's becoming more difficult to suppress him. Despite the control charm I received from Lucrecia, he has stepped up his taunts and his threats." _

_Mako blue eyes narrowed. "Do you think he is going to be a danger to us?" _

_The other man shook his head, his eyes falling away to stare at the ever-so-interesting ground. "I don't know. I refuse to summon him on my own, and his bonding with my body is not yet complete. I am not even sure if it will be by the time we face Sephiroth. However, I thought I should give you fair warning." _

"_What do you want me to do?"_

_Vincent's face was grim. "If I become Chaos, I can assure you it was not by choice. Get everyone away from me. Leave me behind, if you must. I will do what I can to restrain him." He paused, and his gaze traveled over to the other members of their group, falling on his lover as an indiscernible look passed over his features. "I refuse to harm anyone I care about." _

_Cloud nodded slowly. "I understand. Probably more than you think." _

_Vincent turned towards him, confusion swirling in his red irises. Cloud merely waved him off, shaking his head as he whirled on his heels towards the rest of their companions. _

"_We haven't got much more time to waste, ne?"_

---

Cloud had known then that there was more to what Vincent was trying to say, but he didn't want to make the ex-Turk elaborate any more than he had already. And when the time had come, he had done as the gunman had asked. Nevertheless, he felt that there was something he should have done.

However, it wasn't until Aeris had mentioned the choice that he had even begun to realize the full extent of what had occurred. Somehow, Vincent had known exactly what was going to happen and hadn't told anyone. Not even his lover.

Still, they hadn't given up. Immediately afterwards, they had searched the crater and Mideel for any sign of Vincent, but there was none.

Cloud doubted that he lived. He had seen the ex-Turk's wounds; he didn't think even Jenova or the demons could heal them. And if Vincent was the new sacrifice, as they had all come to believe, then there was no bringing him back.

The blond took another hearty sip of his drink, wondering if it was at all proper to celebrate such a victory when it had come at so high at cost. His eyes traveled over to where Cid was standing on the balcony, morosely staring at the ocean. He was leaning on the railing, holding some scotch in his hand. The pilot had foregone a glass and headed straight for the bottle. Well, at least Archer was leaving him alone for the time being.

Cid nearly had had a heart attack when he connected Reeve's subordinate Archer to the Archer Kyle he had dated so many years ago. Apparently, there were still some unrequited feelings.

Cloud supposed that Archer thought he had a chance now that Vincent was gone. The swordsmen hadn't had the heart to tell the man that there just was no hope.

Cid was completely in love with Vincent. He had already vowed to continue looking for him, said that he would never stop until he found something.

Cloud sighed again and gazed out the window. He could hear his friends talking and laughing in the background, and through the reflection in the glass, he saw some were even dancing.

Rude was twirling Shera around in a classical dance that somehow managed to fit with the contemporary music, which was blaring through the speakers. Yuffie was doing a fair job herself. Barret had finally overcome his nervousness and had approached Elmyra. They were currently doing a number that Cloud had never heard of, but he wasn't about to go over and ask either. Most of the others were milling about and talking.

Behind him, the blond heard footsteps.

"Why are you sulking over here?" Aeris questioned, already holding out another glass with vodka in it.

He hadn't even realized his own was empty.

"Thanks."

The flower-girl smiled and stood beside him, looking out the window as well. "You know," she began quietly. "It wasn't your fault."

"I never said I thought it was."

"You're certainly not acting like a man who just helped in saving the world."

Cloud raked a hand through his spikes. "It was too high a price, and I know that Cid would agree with me. What would you say if it had been me? I didn't get you back, only to lose another of my friends."

Aeris visibly flinched. She knew that her life had been exchanged, in a metaphorical sense, for that of Vincent.

"I suppose you are right," she conceded quietly.

Behind them, the upbeat dance song faded, and the lights dimmed low. The beginning strains of the popular love song began to play.

Cloud turned towards Aeris and held out a hand to her. "Would you care to dance?"

She beamed as they set their drinks on the windowsill. "I would love to."

As he pulled her out to the dance floor, where other couples had slowly started to gather, colored lights began to circle around them. Cloud pulled Aeris close to him, and they swayed lightly to the song.

An all-too-human part of himself couldn't help but think how glad he was he still had her.

On the other side of the room, near the refreshments table, Nanaki walked up to his young friend. "Yuffie," he began, a cute blush staining his tanned cheeks. "Would you care to dance with me?" 

She glanced up at him, brown eyes shining in the multi-colored lights as she grinned. "Of course." She abandoned her contemplation of the cookies as the demi-human led her to the center of the room, managing to move with more grace than she had given him credit for.

Reeve and Reno were the first out to the dance floor. They were so close it was as if they were one as their hands clasped and arms were wrapped around one another. Reeve had laid his head gently on the Turk's shoulder, and his eyes closed as they danced to the lyrics of the song.

"Our song," Reeve murmured softly.

The Turk smiled and wrapped his arms tighter around his lover.

On the balcony, Cid heard the song, and it roused him from his depressed stupor. He turned and leaned in the doorway, looking in at all the seemingly happy couples.

It felt as if a vise had gripped his heart. He could almost imagine himself and Vincent out there.

The ex-Turk would be graceful as he led the stumbling blond around, offering up small smiles at the pilot's clumsiness. He would hold Cid tightly, and they wouldn't speak. No words would be needed.

The blond felt tears well up in his eyes at the vision; it was so vivid it almost seemed real. He closed them just as quickly, tired of crying, and sought to drown the tears in another gulp of scotch. Nonetheless, his mind instantly conjured memories of the man he loved and had lost in the blink of an eye.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the summon materia that had once been Diablos. The marble no longer glowed; it was as dead as a regular stone. The pilot wasn't sure what had happened, but since the battle with Sephiroth, Diablos had never returned to his materia.

Perhaps he had fallen with Vincent.

Cid sighed, whirling on his heels and returning to his contemplations on the banister of the balcony. The pain was simply too fresh.

Back inside the rather large living room, Reeve and Reno seemed to be lost in their own world.

"You remember when we first danced to this song?" Reno murmured softly in his lover's ear.

Reeve grinned. "Of course, I do."

"We were at your apartment," Reno continued. "It was during the big winter in Midgar; that's how I remember. I wouldn't have been able to notice from the slums, but at your place, I could actually see the snow before it turned into mush."

Reeve lifted his head and locked gazes with the redhead. "We were listening to the radio because we had wanted a quiet evening in without anyone to worry about. You made me get up and dance with you."

The Turk was smug. "You enjoyed it."

"Yes, I did," Reeve assured him, remembering all too well the warmth of that night and the romantic moment they had shared.

"I remember thinking how much I really believed in the words. That we were meant to be together. I think that was the moment I first knew I loved you. It didn't matter that we had to be discreet or that I couldn't shout it from the rooftops. But it was a startling realization," Reno added in a wistful voice. "It was the first time I realized that I could feel anything other than arrogant nonchalance."

"You are such a romantic," Reeve teased with a chuckle, "but I love you, too."

"I want to do it, Reeve," the Turk continued. He leaned his head forward and put his lips directly by his lover's ear. "I want to spend my lifetime with you."

Reeve's eyes snapped open, and he searched Reno's face for what he thought he might have been imagining. "You…" he trailed off, shaking his head. "Don't tease like that."

The Turk freed a hand and brought it up to cup the other man's face. He rubbed a thumb over his lover's cheek, and he leaned forward and pressed his lips to Reeve's, kissing him with enough passion to make him weak in the knees. After several heartbeats, he gently released Reeve, though his hand remained firmly grasped on his chin.

He forced Reeve to look at him. "I want to protect you always. Be the one who grows grey with you. Stand by every decision you make. I want to make you happy," he said softly, making sure that Reeve knew he meant every word.

"Reno, I--"

However, the Turk only shushed him. "I love you, Reeve," Reno finished as the last of the song's notes echoed through the air.

Amber eyes glistened brightly, and Reeve opened his mouth to speak but found he had no words to say as Reno pulled away from him very slowly, only to sink to one knee, grasping Reeve's right hand in his own. The Turk dug into his pocket, neither of them realizing that they had drawn an audience, as he pulled out a small box.

Reeve choked, knowing what was coming next.

"I am asking you with all the love a man can possibly hold in his heart. Will you, Reeve Tuesti, marry me?" Reno completed in a hoarse voice as he opened the box and held it up for Reeve to see.

The thick, silver band with a small pattern of diamonds glistened in the dim light.

Time seemed to stand still as the Turk waited for his answer.

Then, the hand in his tightened, and Reeve threw himself into the Turk's arms. "Yes, of course." It was all Reno could do not to fall onto the floor as their lips met in an inevitable kiss.

Cheering erupted from the members of AVALANCHE gathered. The two had forgotten that they were there.

On the balcony, Cid turned from the joyful sight, not that he wasn't happy for the two, but the sight only served to depress him further. He berated himself for feeling so negative, but he felt empty and alone, a piece of himself missing. He was also filled with a calm anger, directed not at himself but at Vincent.

The gunman had somehow _known_ what was going to happen but went through with it anyway. Cid couldn't decide which would have been worst, never knowing Vincent at all or losing him after sharing the words of endearment.

He took another gulp of his drink, still trying to burn out the pain rapidly gathering in his chest. It felt like a huge weight had settled there, a feeling he was becoming quite familiar with, and it usually left him in a pit of tears and anger. But with the added effect of alcohol, he was just sullen and depressed.

The pilot also couldn't help the anger he had towards Cloud. He suspected that their leader knew something was going to happen before anyone else realized it. How else would he have known to get everyone out of there? After all, hadn't Vincent spoken to Cloud before they had climbed into the crater?

Cid had pushed away everyone's attempts to comfort him. He didn't need anyone to tell him that it was going to be okay or to say they were sorry for something that wasn't their fault. Those types of condolences didn't help him at all.

Aeris had tried, but Cid felt more than a slight tint of bitterness towards the flower-girl. In his mind, they had been traded, Vincent for Aeris.

He felt that familiar weight on his chest again and gulped the cool, night air in an effort to quell the burning ache. He downed his scotch, wondering if it was capable of chasing away the dreams as well.

That was probably the worst part of him being gone. At night, Cid could still feel Vincent right beside him. His scent was in the sheets, and the memories were everywhere. Last night, Cid had torn them all off in a fit of rage and had slept on their bed without any coverings at all.

Once, he had finally managed to pass into sleep from pure exhaustion, he was haunted by his dreams. Sometimes, he had nightmares of when Sephiroth had speared his lover through. Usually, he just relived the happy moments: that fateful kiss on the plains, the night at Gold Saucer, the kiss in the cargo room, and especially the night Vincent had allowed Cid to take him for the first and only time.

He took another gulp of his drink, relishing in the burn that spread down his throat and straight to his belly. Perhaps tonight he could just pass out and forget, if only for a little while.

"Have you given up then? Do you think he is gone?"

Cid exhaled violently as he turned around. If anyone had come to talk to him, he was glad it was Reeve. The man was… easier to deal with.

"No. I won't ever give up. But he should be here. Dancing, laughing, celebrating…" He swished around the contents of the bottle, noting morosely that it wasn't that full anymore.

"I can't help but feel a bit guilty for being happy," Reeve admitted softly.

Cid shook his head. "Don't… and congratulations. I know he'll make you happy."

A blush stained Reeve's cheeks as he glanced down at the silver ring on his hand. "I wish I knew what to say to help you through this, Cid." He looked over at his friend, noting the dark circles under the man's eyes and the paleness of his skin.

The blond heaved in a heavy breath as he stared at the floor, frowning slightly. "We never even got to that point," he commented vaguely. "I was going to hold him down and tell him for the first time that I love him. He wouldn't let me say it before. I didn't get to tell him… before… before…" Cid fell silent and closed his eyes, already feeling the tears well up.

Reeve's heart broke. He swiftly crossed the length of the deck and moved to take the bottle of alcohol from his friend's grasp. It wasn't going to help him anymore than holding all his emotions would.

"I am sure he knew. It's the kind of feeling that sometimes goes without saying," he intoned gently.

A small line of tears slowly made its way from the corner of Cid's closed eyelids down his face. He choked as he tried to draw a breath and buried his face in his hands. His shoulders shook lightly.

"If I don't find him… if he is gone…" he trailed off, beginning to tremble violently.

Without thinking, Reeve drew his friend into his arms. Cid kept his face buried in his hands, even as he leaned into the other man's comforting hold, leaning his forehead on Reeve's shoulder.

The former executive searched for something to say, some words that could comfort Cid, but he found his mind drawing a blank.

"He knew," Cid added in a muffled voice. "He knew what was going to happen, and he wouldn't tell me. He wouldn't let me get too close."

"I'm sure he had his reasons."

"I can't help but feel angry with him, Reeve," the pilot whispered. "I'm mad that he would leave me like this."

Reeve swallowed thickly. "It's okay, Cid," he attempted to soothe. "It's all right to be angry with him. It's acceptable to cry even. You can't hold it all in, or it will tear you apart inside. Nor can you drown out the pain in alcohol either. Somehow, I don't think that Vincent would approve."

Reeve heard the slightest bit of noise and turned his head towards the doorway. Reno was standing there with a concerned expression on his face, Yuffie at his side. Reeve apologized to him without speaking, and Reno inclined his head in response. He left the doorway, and the ex-executive could just see him clearing everyone away from the balcony, giving him a pathway out.

He sighed and returned to the sobbing man in his arms.

The wind was starting to pick up outside as night fell completely. Despite being in Costa del Sol, the evening was chilly, and the wind was not making it any warmer.

Reeve needed to get Cid inside, sobered up, and warm before he made himself sick. "I think this party is over for you, ne?" he suggested softly. "Let me take you to your room."

Cid didn't answer but struggled to regain his composure. He felt like such a child, bursting into tears like that. When had crying ever helped?

It certainly didn't ease the tension that had still built in his chest, and he had the sudden urge to just go destroy something, _anything_ to get out all the agony.

"Come on," Reeve urged, gently steering the pilot out of the balcony and towards the door to the main hallway.

Cid followed him numbly, not really feeling.

Luckily, no one asked questions, and they quickly cleared a path for him.

Within a few minutes, Reeve was pushing open the door to the pilot's room and ushering him inside. Cid dully walked over to the bed and collapsed on the bare mattress, his head beginning to swim.

In turn, Reeve frowned, noticing that the blond had torn all of the covers off his bed. Leaving him for only a moment, he wandered down to the hall closet and pulled out new linens.

A few moments later, he had completely remade the bed. He helped the pilot out of his jacket and boots and got him settled, and Reeve rifled around in the bathroom, bringing out a glass of water and some aspirin, hoping to forestall the hangover that he knew was going to come in the morning.

Cid accepted the offerings gratefully and handed the empty glass back to the ex-executive before collapsing back onto the bed.

Reeve couldn't help but think that his friend was little more than a doll at this point. He moved when told and did whatever Reeve asked, but he didn't offer up anything in return, just stared at the wall with unseeing eyes.

Reeve's heart ached for Cid. He just wished he knew of a way to bring Vincent back, if only to hear the pilot curse everyone out of irritability rather than drowned himself in alcohol. He sat on the edge of the bed as Cid looked at him blearily.

"Thanks, Reeve," the blond slurred, voice toneless and dead.

He forced a gentle smile onto his face. "It's all that I can do. You are my friend, after all."

"I just couldn't take it," Cid explained suddenly, closing his eyes as he inhaled the clean scent of the sheets. "It was everywhere. It all smelt like him… like he was still here. It always brought dreams." He shivered visibly.

"You need some sleep," Reeve suggested. "You're going to make yourself sick."

Cid snorted. "What do I care?"

"Now, how do you expect to find him if your holed up here with the flu?"

The other man went silent before responding quietly, "I don't want to go to sleep. I don't want to close my eyes."

Reeve opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a gentle clearing of the throat. His head swiveled towards the door, finding Archer leaning against the frame.

"Reno and Tseng wanted to talk to you," man explained softly, his purple eyes on the floor.

Reeve hesitated, looking at the depressed man on the bed. He really didn't want to leave Cid like that.

"Go on," the pilot urged. "I'll be fine." Red-rimmed eyes and a haggard face seemed to indicate the contrary.

"I really don't think you should be alone."

"Honestly, Reeve. I'm not going to kill myself."

"You were certainly trying with all that scotch!" the ex-executive snapped. He felt a hand on his shoulder and started.

Archer was standing next to him.

"Go on. I will stay with him."

Reeve considered his subordinate's offer. Cid had made no decisions about what he wanted.

He pushed himself up from the bed. "Make sure he rests," Reeve told Archer in a low tone. "Even if you have to cast Sleep on him."

Archer nodded, and Reeve accepted that as an affirmative before he left to find his lover and Tseng.

"You can go now," Cid said rather irritably, turning his head so that he didn't have to look at his former lover. "I don't need a nursemaid."

Archer's jaw tightened, but he ignored the pilot's comment. Instead, he sat on the bed and idly rubbed circles in the blond's back, hoping to relax him.

"We may no longer be together, but I still want to be your friend. I hate to see you like this," he said gently. "Just let me be here for you. I am not asking for anything else. I'm not trying to get into your pants. You know me better than that."

He wasn't surprised when Cid jerked away and reached into the drawer of the desk. He rifled around the contents before producing a small flask. The pilot snorted as he worked the stopper of the bottle.

"Funny that you should be the one asking for anything."

He had just managed to get the bottle to his mouth when it was violently taken from his hand and thrown out into the hallway. The pilot winced when it clanged as it hit the wall.

"Alcohol is not going to fix anything, Highwind; you should know that," Archer admonished. He placed his hands back on Cid's back and forced the man to look at him.

Bleary blue eyes met amethyst fire.

"This isn't you."

Cid jerked away from him, his jaw setting in anger. "You wouldn't know. You left, too! I don't want your comfort, and I don't want your &!#$ pity!"

But his eyes told another story. There was great pain; it was threatening to overcome him.

Archer regarded him with a solemn face.

The pilot gasped and put a hand to his chest where that familiar burning ache returned full force, except this time he had no alcohol to chase it away. He gulped, trying to push down the tears that were threatening to overcome him again, and Cid turned away from his ex-lover, showing his back to the man. He wrapped his arms around himself, trying to gain hold of the emotions that were pouring over him in immense waves.

Without realizing it, tears began to trickle down his cheeks.

He felt the arms wrap around him again, and he fought to get away. He didn't want the other man's comfort; he didn't want his pity. However, Archer held him strong and wouldn't let him go.

"It's okay," Archer soothed. "Above all, I am still your friend Cid, and I refuse to let you suffer through this alone."

The Captain didn't reply, but that was answer enough for the other man. He continued to hold his one-time lover as the pilot cried for love of another.

Archer brought his magic up to his mind and whispered ever so softly, "Sleep."

Within seconds, he could feel the taut muscles beneath his arms relaxing as the pilot fell into unconsciousness.

Sighing, Archer maneuvered the blond so that he was beneath the covers and comfortable. Then, he set about cleaning the pilot's room. Cid had made it a mess in the past few days, and Archer was determined to make everything easier on the man.

Cid might not have been his anymore, but they were still friends.

Above all else, Archer hated to see those he cared about in pain.

---

Reeve found Reno and the rest of the Turks, along with Yuffie, back in the main room. They were all standing in a circle in the middle of the room, trading jokes and generally laughing.

Reno had his back to the door, and Reeve took full advantage of the situation. He crept up behind the man and then attacked, throwing his arms around the Turk and resting his head on the man's shoulder.

"You rang?" he teased, kissing him gently on the side of the neck.

"Not in front of the kiddies, yo," Reno answered in return, slyly reaching a hand behind him to grope at his lover.

"Ah, my eyes!" Yuffie moaned, quickly throwing up an arm over her face as she played at being shocked.

Everyone laughed.

Reeve extricated himself from being wrapped around his lover and moved to his side, choosing to grab his hand instead. "What are we talking about here?"

"The rest of our lives," Elena said, sipping at her drink. "The world is safe, but now, we have to worry about our jobs and such."

"Especially Rude here since he has a family," Reno joked, elbowing his partner.

Rude grunted, his reaction difficult to see behind the dark glasses. "ShinRa is a mega-corporation. It can't exist without a leader."

"Who's in charge now?" Yuffie questioned curiously.

The Turks exchanged glances. They still considered themselves employees of ShinRa since they hadn't exactly quit so much as they disobeyed orders. Besides, who was going to stop them?

Tseng exhaled, brushing his hair back from his face. "Well, Rufus is most likely dead, especially since he has not shown his face. Hojo is certainly dead… as is Palmer." The Wutaiian slowly ticked off his fingers one by one. "Scarlet and Heidegger were both destroyed." He paused, clearing thinking it over. "I honestly do not know," he finished, silver eyes drifting to his subordinates.

The entire group sighed, looking stumped. With all of the power and property that the company owned, the world might just break down into shambles as groups and factions battled to gain control of ShinRa's enterprises.

Elena and Tseng exchanged glances once more. Reno shrugged and squeezed Reeve's hand. Rude's eyes drifted around those gathered, noting Yuffie and then Cloud near the snack bar and finally landing on Reeve.

The bald man inhaled sharply. "Well, they never actually fired Reeve. They only tried to kill him…" he began slowly.

Everyone looked dumbstruck, no one more so than Reno. His mouth had fallen open in surprise.

Tseng, however, suddenly smirked. "That settles it, Boss."

Rude and Elena instantly chimed in, "Mr. President!"

Reno turned to his lover, a small smile creeping up his shocked face. "Snooky bear!"

"Kitty's going to be President!" Yuffie cheered.

Reeve instantly reddened, his mind backpedaling on what all the Turks were implying. They wanted him to head ShinRa. Him, Reeve Tuesti, to take over the job of managing the mega-conglomeration.

"Was this what you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked, still in shock.

Reno instantly sobered. "What are you talking about? I thought you're taking care of Cid."

Reeve stiffened. "Archer came into the room and said that Tseng and you wanted to talk to me about something."

Tseng shook his head. "He is a sneaky bastard. We never sent him on such a mission."

"I swear to Kami-sama if he hurts Cid…" Amber eyes narrowed, his hands tightening into fists.

"Easy, Tiger," Reno joked softly, rubbing his hands over his lover's back. "Or I might start to get jealous, yo."

Reeve tried to calm as his eyes widened. "I'm sorry. That is not what I meant, it is just--"

Tseng sniffed. "You have a father-complex like no one else I have ever seen, Reeve. You are always trying to protect everyone."

"Especially those you care about. I know Cid is your friend and nothing more," Reno added, nodding in agreement.

"Besides," Rude supplied quietly. "I think Archer only wanted to help Cid and let you spend time with your new… _fiancé_," he suggested, causing Reeve to blush.

Light laughter echoed around the group before falling silent. It was broken by Yuffie's slightly hesitant question minutes later.

"Do you think he will ever recover?"

Shera shook her head, having been mostly silent up till now. "Of course he will. He is Cid Highwind, after all. And knowing him, he will find Vincent."

"You really think he's alive?" Reno asked.

She shrugged. "Whether or not I believe doesn't make it any less possible. All that matters is that Captain believes. He needs that tiny bit of hope until he can handle the truth."

"Time heals all wounds," Tseng commented softly as his eyes took on a far off cast, something enigmatic flashing across them.

Reno raised his glass. "Here's to peace, yo, even if it is a little boring."

"I couldn't agree more." Reeve chuckled as his raised his. "I couldn't agree more."

Continued in the sequel _Shattered Dreams_.


End file.
